ABASTAN Refuge for antiwar artists & activists
Donation protected
ABASTAN emergency initiative – support for artists, writers, and social justice advocates seeking refuge in Armenia & rural community revival
Hundreds of artists, writers, and social justice advocates find themselves seeking refuge in Armenia. They have no homes, jobs, or institutional support. Some have come as refugees from Ukraine. Others are Ukrainians or mixed Ukrainian-Russian families from Russia who no longer feel safe there. Many are Russians or Belarusians who had to leave their homes because of political repressions.
ABASTAN emergency initiative seeks to transform Tumanyan – a small town in northern Armenia – into a safe haven for these people by providing free accommodation, work space, and community support for up to six months while they plan their next steps. At the same time, the initiative will leverage their unique skills and experience to benefit the revival of a rural community that has endured over thirty years of poverty and economic depression.
Our goal is to offer project participants free accommodation for the duration of 1–6 months between May and October 2022, hosting up to 60-100 people over the course of the project. ABASTAN project will take place in the town of Tumanyan in the beautiful countryside of northern Armenia. A former factory complex will be transformed into artists’ studios/workshops/teaching/coworking space. The factory has not been active for over two decades and the owners are happy to see it put to good use in order to help provide a space for people who badly need it. A nearby hostel and rented summer houses will be used for accommodation. The project participants will work with the community's children and youth, teaching them artisanal skills and creating bonds of mentorship which will hopefully far outlast the duration of the project. The project will also benefit the local community in other ways through leading initiatives in collecting garbage and restoring dilapitated communal spaces, as well as by creating jobs and giving local producers an opportunity to sell their dairy, fruit and vegetables. We hope that many artists/artisans will decide to remain in Armenia beyond the initial six-month term and turn their workshops into sustainable small entreprises.
Community Outcomes
ABASTAN project will bring new energy, new ideas and new hope for Tumanyan. More specifically participants, depending on their backgrounds and skills, will work with the local community on the following initiatives:
– Artistic and artisanal education for children - carpentry, metal work, ceramics and masonry, painting and design, theatre and storytelling
– Environmental projects - waste collection and environmental education
– Educational initiatives - creation of support networks for children with developmental disabilities and their families*
– Restoration and repurposing of dilapidated buildings and unused public spaces
– Improvement of sanitary facilities in residential buildings
– Long term: emergence of Tumanyan as a self-sustaining grassroots creative center integrated in international networks of cultural changemakers
*identified as a need in the community and also proposed as a project by applicants
140 Applications Received
We put out a call for applications in mid March for the ABASTAN initiative. We have already received 140 applications with specific activity proposals. Many of the applicants have experience in similar kinds of projects and will contribute not only their artistic but also their organisational skills.
Why Tumanyan
– Formerly an urban/now more rural community that has suffered from three decades of poverty and joblessness, but has great potential for an economic and cultural revival
– Large population of school-aged children (160) who would be the primary beneficiaries of ABASTAN educational programs
– Mejlis Institute Educational NGO and Tumanyan Foundation, the two organisations leading this initiative, have an established relationship with the community and municipal government of Tumanyan
– Several properties in Tumanyan have been offered by their owners to be used by the project as residential and workshop spaces
Our initial crowdfunding target was set at $4,000 (3,660 euro) which would cover the following expenses:
– Accommodation and food for 10 people for a month + the salary of a coordinator $3,000
– Cleaning and construction supplies to set up the studio space $1,000
As we reach each target, we will keep extending it in increments of $3,000 (2730 euro). With every additional $3,000 we will be able to provide room & board and working space for additional 10 people for one month.
The reason why we decided to opt for personal crowdfunding* is that time is critical, and we cannot afford to go through lengthy grant application processes. In the coming months we will also work on institutional grant applications to extend the duration of the project. We have made informed estimates, albeit rushed, in order to begin fundraising as quickly as possible, but we will adjust the expenses as we continue our work ensuring full transparency. We will rigorously document all the expenses and provide the donors with a financial report along with a concluding report upon the completion of the project. As a donor, you will also be welcome to visit this future residence and experience the artistic works born in refuge.
If we exceed our crowdfunding target, we will use the funds to either try to increase the number of people taken in and/or extend the period of time of the program if necessary. If we fail to raise the full amount, we will run the project on a smaller scale, offering accommodation to fewer people for shorter periods of time. If for any reason the project does not take place, all the money collected will be refunded to the donors.
Our hope is that after the completion of the project, ABASTAN will continue to serve as a unique cultural hub in northern Armenia and attract a constant stream of visiting artists/artisans and volunteers . We hope that the project will offer a compelling model for community revival and revitalization of abandoned industrial spaces, which form a significant part of the landscape and cultural heritage of provincial Armenia.
We cannot stop the devastation, but we can build support networks and help some of its victims. No to war and alienation! Long live international solidarity!
* Polina Ivanova, the organizer of this fundraiser and a member of the ABASTAN team, is an alumna of Harvard University and currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Giessen in Germany. She has experience with NGO work in Armenia and family ties to Russia and Ukraine.
The project is organized by:
Mejlis Institute, educational NGO based in Armenia
Tumanyan Foundation, development NGO based in Armenia
If you would like to receive more information about the ABASTAN project please send a message to [email redacted].
Hundreds of artists, writers, and social justice advocates find themselves seeking refuge in Armenia. They have no homes, jobs, or institutional support. Some have come as refugees from Ukraine. Others are Ukrainians or mixed Ukrainian-Russian families from Russia who no longer feel safe there. Many are Russians or Belarusians who had to leave their homes because of political repressions.
ABASTAN emergency initiative seeks to transform Tumanyan – a small town in northern Armenia – into a safe haven for these people by providing free accommodation, work space, and community support for up to six months while they plan their next steps. At the same time, the initiative will leverage their unique skills and experience to benefit the revival of a rural community that has endured over thirty years of poverty and economic depression.
Our goal is to offer project participants free accommodation for the duration of 1–6 months between May and October 2022, hosting up to 60-100 people over the course of the project. ABASTAN project will take place in the town of Tumanyan in the beautiful countryside of northern Armenia. A former factory complex will be transformed into artists’ studios/workshops/teaching/coworking space. The factory has not been active for over two decades and the owners are happy to see it put to good use in order to help provide a space for people who badly need it. A nearby hostel and rented summer houses will be used for accommodation. The project participants will work with the community's children and youth, teaching them artisanal skills and creating bonds of mentorship which will hopefully far outlast the duration of the project. The project will also benefit the local community in other ways through leading initiatives in collecting garbage and restoring dilapitated communal spaces, as well as by creating jobs and giving local producers an opportunity to sell their dairy, fruit and vegetables. We hope that many artists/artisans will decide to remain in Armenia beyond the initial six-month term and turn their workshops into sustainable small entreprises.
Community Outcomes
ABASTAN project will bring new energy, new ideas and new hope for Tumanyan. More specifically participants, depending on their backgrounds and skills, will work with the local community on the following initiatives:
– Artistic and artisanal education for children - carpentry, metal work, ceramics and masonry, painting and design, theatre and storytelling
– Environmental projects - waste collection and environmental education
– Educational initiatives - creation of support networks for children with developmental disabilities and their families*
– Restoration and repurposing of dilapidated buildings and unused public spaces
– Improvement of sanitary facilities in residential buildings
– Long term: emergence of Tumanyan as a self-sustaining grassroots creative center integrated in international networks of cultural changemakers
*identified as a need in the community and also proposed as a project by applicants
140 Applications Received
We put out a call for applications in mid March for the ABASTAN initiative. We have already received 140 applications with specific activity proposals. Many of the applicants have experience in similar kinds of projects and will contribute not only their artistic but also their organisational skills.
Why Tumanyan
– Formerly an urban/now more rural community that has suffered from three decades of poverty and joblessness, but has great potential for an economic and cultural revival
– Large population of school-aged children (160) who would be the primary beneficiaries of ABASTAN educational programs
– Mejlis Institute Educational NGO and Tumanyan Foundation, the two organisations leading this initiative, have an established relationship with the community and municipal government of Tumanyan
– Several properties in Tumanyan have been offered by their owners to be used by the project as residential and workshop spaces
Our initial crowdfunding target was set at $4,000 (3,660 euro) which would cover the following expenses:
– Accommodation and food for 10 people for a month + the salary of a coordinator $3,000
– Cleaning and construction supplies to set up the studio space $1,000
As we reach each target, we will keep extending it in increments of $3,000 (2730 euro). With every additional $3,000 we will be able to provide room & board and working space for additional 10 people for one month.
The reason why we decided to opt for personal crowdfunding* is that time is critical, and we cannot afford to go through lengthy grant application processes. In the coming months we will also work on institutional grant applications to extend the duration of the project. We have made informed estimates, albeit rushed, in order to begin fundraising as quickly as possible, but we will adjust the expenses as we continue our work ensuring full transparency. We will rigorously document all the expenses and provide the donors with a financial report along with a concluding report upon the completion of the project. As a donor, you will also be welcome to visit this future residence and experience the artistic works born in refuge.
If we exceed our crowdfunding target, we will use the funds to either try to increase the number of people taken in and/or extend the period of time of the program if necessary. If we fail to raise the full amount, we will run the project on a smaller scale, offering accommodation to fewer people for shorter periods of time. If for any reason the project does not take place, all the money collected will be refunded to the donors.
Our hope is that after the completion of the project, ABASTAN will continue to serve as a unique cultural hub in northern Armenia and attract a constant stream of visiting artists/artisans and volunteers . We hope that the project will offer a compelling model for community revival and revitalization of abandoned industrial spaces, which form a significant part of the landscape and cultural heritage of provincial Armenia.
We cannot stop the devastation, but we can build support networks and help some of its victims. No to war and alienation! Long live international solidarity!
* Polina Ivanova, the organizer of this fundraiser and a member of the ABASTAN team, is an alumna of Harvard University and currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Giessen in Germany. She has experience with NGO work in Armenia and family ties to Russia and Ukraine.
The project is organized by:
Mejlis Institute, educational NGO based in Armenia
Tumanyan Foundation, development NGO based in Armenia
If you would like to receive more information about the ABASTAN project please send a message to [email redacted].
Organizer
Polina Ivanova
Organizer
Berlin
