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Astghik Marabyan

Ministry of Culture - Armenia

Head of Cultural Heritage and Folk Arts

Country: Armenia

ITP Year: 2017

Biography

Astghik Marabyan is a museum specialist and researcher. She holds her BA degree in Art History and MA degree in General History from the Yerevan State University. She began her work in the museum in 2007 at the Cafesjian Center for the Arts (CCA) as an Assistant Registrar. In 2016 Astghik took on the role of Director of Education of CCA. As Director of education for Cafesjian Center for the Arts she was responsible for the education policy of CCA, defining and planning the overall education objectives, supervising the realisation of educational programs for schools, adults and families, as well as community outreach programming, concert series, rentals and special events.

In 2018 Astghik took on her current role, Head of Cultural Heritage and Folk Arts for the Ministry of Culture in Armenia. She is now responsible for the whole museum sector, as well as monuments, libraries, intangible heritage.

Her research interests include museum studies, art education, exhibition methods as educational experiences, modern and contemporary Armenian art.

Astghik is a Board Member of the ICOM National Committee and the Museum Education Center in Armenia. In 2016 she co-wrote the Museum Education Handbook.

At the British Museum
During her time on the International Training Programme 2017, Astghik was based in the Middle East Department and she spent her partner placement with Norfolk Museums Service.

In 2017 participants were asked to develop a proposal for an Asahi Shimbun Display – a temporary exhibition in Room 3 at the British Museum – based around a ‘spotlight’ object.  Astghik worked with fellow Mariem Daniel (Curator, Coptic Museum, Egypt) on her exhibition proposal project, entitled Bridging Voices: Dia Al-Azzawi.

Astghik’s participation in the International Training Programme was generously supported by the Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust.

Legacy projects
In 2018, with ITP UK Partner Ronan Brindley (Head of Learning, Manchester Art Gallery) and ITP 2017 Senior Fellow Hayk Mkrtchyan, Astghik helped deliver a Museum Education Summer School, held at the SMART Center in Lori. The focus was Museums and Communities: from visiting to participation.

In October 2019 Astghik participated in the ITP MA Conference programme in Brighton. With fellows from Egypt, India, Nepal and China and Malaysia, Astghik attended a programme structured around the 3-day MA Conference on Sustainable and Ethical Museums in a Globalised World.

ITP Newsletter Publications
ITP Newsletter Issue 5 (2018), The ITP in Armenia: Engaging teens at the Cafesjian Center for the Arts