Raised in a family of intellectuals and national leaders, Garin Hovannisian grew up in an environment where a profound dedication to Armenian causes and a deep reverence for Armenian heritage and history shaped his worldview. Given this foundation, it is no surprise that he chose to follow in the footsteps of these influential figures. His writings on Armenian issues have been featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Atlantic, and he has produced films chronicling subjects on war, genocide, and revolution in Armenia and Artsakh.
Driven by a passion for writing, filmmaking, and magic, Hovannisian has developed a unique creative approach that has inspired impactful initiatives, including Creative Armenia. This global arts foundation helps aspiring artists and creators achieve career breakthroughs. Through Creative Armenia, which he founded in 2017, Hovannisian is committed to empowering creative voices in Armenia, offering a platform to showcase their talents and bring their ideas to life.
“I was born in Los Angeles and moved to Yerevan as a child, in the late 1980s, when Armenia was still part of the Soviet Union. A movement for national independence was gaining momentum and my parents decided to leave their law careers behind and move to Armenia to participate in the historic changes unfolding there. It was the defining event of my childhood,” he recounted.
When Armenia declared its independence in 1991, his father Raffi, became its first foreign minister, while his mother Armine, led educational, civic, and philanthropic initiatives. Hovannisian was raised by the example set by them, as well as his grandparents. His grandfather Richard Hovannisian was a prominent professor and pioneer of Armenian Studies in the US.
His family’s deep spiritual connection to Armenia spanned generations, so the idea that Hovannisian would forge his own connection felt like a natural part of his life’s mission to pursue the arts. “I’m a writer, filmmaker, and illusionist, but not necessarily in that order, because magic actually came first. My parents gave me my first magic set when I was five, which completely changed my life. Only recently, have I started to realize how much my writing and films have been influenced by it. Even those works that might seem unrelated to magic, like my memoir Family of Shadows or my films 1915, I Am Not Alone, Truth to Power, and Invisible Republic are rooted in a kind of allegorical and magical thinking.”
Speaking for himself, he describes the most challenging aspects of the creative process, saying, “In all honesty, the creative life is difficult for many reasons: lack of support, encouragement, funding, and so on. But also, creation itself is challenging. The greatest obstacle has been myself: the limitations of my own intuition, intelligence, and imagination. It’s a constant struggle to overcome.”
No doubt, this understanding of the challenges for an artist planted the seeds of Creative Armenia. However, the idea really took form when Hovannisian began to develop a film for the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. “As 2015 approached, my creative partner Alec Mouhibian and I wanted to make a feature film on the subject. We were in our twenties, full of imagination and ambition, along with the expectation of support from our community. However, that expectation quickly dissipated. It was only after great personal effort and the support of a small group of friends that we eventually made 1915, starring Simon Abkarian and Angela Sarafyan.” He goes on to say, “Nevertheless, in those days, there were only a few Armenian organizations which opened periodically to offer mentorships or funding within specific artistic disciplines, AGBU Arts, for example. Yet, there was no single institution dedicated to discovering, developing, and championing Armenian talents. In other words, Armenians had no arts foundation that operated exclusively, year-round and across multiple disciplines.”
As Hovannisian tells it, “With such founding members like Serj Tankian, Michael Aram, and Dr. Eric Esrailian, Creative Armenia became the arts foundation that was so desperately needed. Also, AGBU has been a strategic partner from the start.”
I’m a writer, filmmaker, and illusionist, but not necessarily in that order, because magic actually came first. My parents gave me my first magic set when I was five, which completely changed my life.
The Creative Armenia x AGBU Fellowships, awarded annually to rising Armenian creators, became the very opportunity that Hovannisian and Mouhibian had been searching for. Since its inception eight years ago, Creative Armenia has supported hundreds of artists through mentorships, residencies, fellowships, and major grants. “So far, we’ve had 38 Fellows, each an exceptional musician, writer, filmmaker, artist, or creator. As a result, while all Fellows receive the same grant to bring their creative projects to life, we work closely with them throughout the year to find mentors, connections, and opportunities that align with their individual goals.”
Hovannisian cites two examples. The writer Olivia Katrandjian was mentored by bestselling novelist Chris Bohjalian, and the musician Raffi Garabedian by jazz legend Sonny Rollins. There are hundreds more mentors like them, and this transaction with established and rising talents is a fundamental aspect of the Fellowship. “Without a doubt, it has been incredibly rewarding for us, together with AGBU, to watch our Fellows flourish after their time with us,” noted Hovannisian. “I recently learned that the film developed by Christine Haroutounian during her Fellowship has been invited to premiere at the Berlinale, a major achievement and one that resonated with her mentor filmmaker Atom Egoyan. We also like to stay connected with our Fellows, inviting them to become mentors themselves. Additionally, we continue to support and promote their works and careers. Last fall, at AGBU headquarters in New York, we were pleased to co-host a wonderful exhibition of Suren Tadevosyan’s X-Ray Yerevan.”
The question remains as to what impact Creative Armenia will have on the living Armenian culture. Hovannisian weighs in: “We often focus on honoring aspects of our culture that are dead. We name our streets after Saryan and Tumanyan, print Saroyan on our currency, and when we talk about Armenians we admire, we talk about Parajanov and Aznavour. But what are we doing to discover and empower creators of today? Who will become our great artists of the future? Creative Armenia’s mission is to find the answer to that question.”
In a previous interview, Hovannisian mentioned, “It is not enough for an idea to be brilliant; every idea needs an Artbox.” He was talking about Creative Armenia’s most recent program, Artbox, and elaborates on it by saying, “You’re an artist with an idea. It’s wonderful, brilliant, and exciting—but it’s still just an idea. If you want it to come to life, you need to consider all the aspects that artists often prefer to avoid, such as business planning, investment strategy, audience analysis, distribution, marketing. You need to create a package around your idea—an Artbox.”
Artbox is a signature creative incubator, designed to guide artists, from idea to reality, through rigorous trainings, mentorships, and funding. With the support of the European Union and in partnership with AGBU, they’ve launched hundreds of creative projects and businesses, from fashion lines to theaters and art exhibitions.
Hovannisian is also quick to point out: “Artists need money and there is no way around that. Usually that’s what brings them in. But what makes them stay is the support, the mentorship, the dedication, and fundamentally, the love and respect we show toward the work they do.”
However, when pressed to share candid advice about pursuing a career in the arts, he is quick to respond. “Don’t do it. That’s the answer any reasonable person should give. There is no money in the arts and few artists end up making a fortune. Of course, true artists are the ones who reject this advice and, recognizing the rocky road ahead, nevertheless embark on the journey.”
When asked to reflect on the Armenian Experience and those of his creative peers, Hovannisian offers a unique perspective. “In a nation of limited natural resources, the imagination is our greatest resource. Because it cannot be seen, it is easy to dismiss—especially when so many other aspects of Armenian life are under threat. Yet the Armenian Experience itself is the creation of artists, it is not? What’s left of our identity if you remove our music and tales, our traditions and dances, our canvases and moving images?”
It is a question to be answered by every generation of Armenian creators willing to take on the challenge of making something out of nothing.
