| September 17, 2010 Armenia Fund Opens Varaz Samuelian Cultural Center in Artik
Fresno-based artist’s cherished dream becomes reality  | | Self portrait of Varaz Samuelian | Artik, Armenia – On September 7 Armenia Fund (Hayastan All-Armenian Fund) unveiled the Varaz Samuelian Cultural Center in Artik, a town in the 1988 Gyumri earthquake zone. Attending the opening ceremony were Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan, Deputy Governor of Shirak Region Seyran Petrosyan, Mayor of Artik Khachatur Varagyan, Executive Director of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund Ara Vardanyan, Chairman of the Armenia Fund U.S. Western Region Ara Aghishian and Executive Director of Armenia Fund U.S. Western Region Sarkis Kotanjian. The construction of the new center, at a cost of approximately 155 million AMD (U.S. $505,000), was funded by the Armenia Fund U.S. Western Region, through the bequest of the prominent Armenian-American painter and sculptor Varaz Samuelian (1917-1995). Varaz Samuelian was born in Yerevan, Armenia to a family of Genocide survivors. After moving to the United States in 1946 as a displaced person, he went on to become an acclaimed artist and sculptor. Samuelian, a close friend of William Saroyan, is the author of the famous David of Sasoon sculpture that was placed at Fresno’s Courthouse Park in 1971. The statue is a prominent historic landmark and a unique symbol of Armenian identity in his hometown of Fresno. With the opening of the Varaz Samuelian Cultural Center in Artik, the artist’s dream of making his life’s work a vibrant part of Armenia’s culture has become a reality.  | Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan (L) and Armenia Fund Chairman Ara
Aghishian (R) cut the ribbon | “After years of putting money aside from his modest income, Varaz Samuelian dedicated his life savings to the cultural development of his homeland, Armenia. Thanks to the hard work of two attorneys, Rafi Ourfalian (former chairman of the Armenia Fund U.S. Western Region) of Los Angeles and Levon Sagatelyan of San Francisco, Armenia Fund was able to transfer Samuelian’s legacy to Armenia,” said Aghishian. Fully furnished and computerized, the two-storied, 6,000 square feet center is designed to function as an arts establishment and a hub for community leisure. The first floor includes an art gallery, an auditorium, and a computer room. The second floor comprises studios for children’s fine arts and music classes as well as a recreational room where the elderly can spend time playing chess and other board games. Samuelian’s original artworks are being displayed prominently throughout the Center.  | | One of the painting rooms located in the new center | “Today we stand here marveling at this beautiful structure and we are in awe of the unique ambience that Samuelian’s paintings create inside the building. We are grateful to the artist for his wonderful legacy. Generations of Artik residents will enjoy Samuelian’s works at this cultural center, which has secured his permanent presence in the homeland,” said Prime Minister Sargsyan. “ “Samuelian wished that an arts and culture center benefitting children and the elderly be located in the 1988 Gyumri Earthquake Zone. Armenia Fund will continue building similar centers, intended as community hubs for the arts, education, and leisure, in other Armenian towns,” said Vardanyan.  | | A scene from the opening ceremony | The Samuelian Cultural Center was blessed by the Primate of the Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Bishop Mikayel Ajapahyan. Armenia Fund, Inc., is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation established in 1994 to facilitate large-scale humanitarian and infrastructure development assistance to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Since 1991, Armenia Fund has rendered more than $200 million in development aid to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Armenia Fund, Inc. is the U.S. Western Region affiliate of “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund. Tax ID# 95-4485698
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