Vahan Badalyan - the driving force behind Armenia's inclusive arts movement

At the “Inclusion through Arts” conference in Yerevan, we met Vahan Badalyan, head of Henrik Igityan National Center of Aesthetics, one of ShareMusic & Performing Arts international partners. Vahan shared insights on inclusive arts development, from pioneering inclusive theatre to our joint project and the "My Convention” production. Meet Vahan Badalyan, a driving force behind Armenia's inclusive arts movement.

Today, we are at the conference held as part of the ongoing collaborative project between the Henrik Igityan National Center of Aesthetics and ShareMusic & Performing Arts. Could you share how this collaboration began?

- Actually, there are two different bridges: one is my experience in the inclusive theatre and the second one is the fruitful outcomes of our international collaborations. Around seven years ago, through our inclusive practices, I crossed paths with Sophia Alexandersson, the head of ShareMusic & Performing Arts. This meeting sparked a collaboration that has since led to numerous joint projects. One recent example is the "My Convention" performance, which centers on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, so it’s a joined artistic project between ShareMusic & Performing Arts and the Small Theatre. My journey in inclusive theatre started precisely 11 years ago in 2013, when my company and I decided to establish the first inclusive dancecompany in Armenia, where performers with and without disabilities come together on stage to dance and create.

Please tell us about your role in this project

- The project involved a performance featuring a large doll. It’s not like a puppet theatre, but rather a cross-disciplinary production where we have contemporary dance, puppetry, and some drama elements. Directed by Karin Styvers, a Swedish artist, director and lawyer, the performance featured artists from ShareMusic and my company in Armenia. Actually, we started working on this project in 2020– not the best time for creative practices due to the COVID-19 pandemic and war in Armenia. So we started working digitally, but luckily physical rehearsals began in Sweden in 2021, with the premiere held there the same year. In 2023, the performance traveled to Armenia, where it was showcased in Yerevan.

2021 was indeed challenging. But it was also a year when you were appointed to the position as the head of the National Centre for Aesthetics, right?

- Indeed. Leading the National Centre for Aesthetics provided me with more opportunities to support this project. We organised supplementary programs alongside the performance, including meetings with local artists and communities interested in inclusion and human rights, particularly children's rights. These discussions aimed to engage local teachers in incorporating human rights education through the arts into their curriculum. As a director I tried really to spread out all the information about this project and the performance. My appointment as the head of the National Centre for Aesthetics in 2020, which is a very prominent institution with a 50-year history, was a significant honor. We play a crucial role in shaping the aesthetic sensibilities of young Armenians, many of whom go on to pursue careers in the arts or become avid arts enthusiasts.

Your center has been working with questions of inclusion for quite some time now. But what is the prevailing situation in this sphere in Armenia?

- Over the past decade, we have witnessed significant changes. When we were starting 10 years ago, we were pioneers in the field of professional inclusive practices. Our aim is to provide really inclusive practices, not exclusive ones limited to either disabled or non-disabled individuals. I firmly believe in fostering collaborative platforms where everyone, regardless of ability, can participate. To be honest, I don’t like when we divide art sector into inclusive art or art in general. I think art is art where all are humans. It's challenging to overcome entrenched stereotypes, but we have made progress. People initially saw our performances as acts of charity, but we've proven them wrong. Our performances highlight the skill and professionalism of our artists, breaking down misconceptions.

Why are projects like these important?

- Such projects are crucial as they address prevalent societal issues, not only in Armenia but globally. I have been traveling this year a lot in many advanced and democratic, wealthy countries and still the question of inclusion is of high priority. And all of us need to do more an more to change the ways of thinking of how our societies think. As I mentioned during my panel discussion, performing arts serve as a very strong visual tool to work with the society. Each performance reaches hundreds or thousands of individuals, gradually shaping societal perceptions. Over the years, I've witnessed a shift in attitudes among Armenians, who have come to accept and appreciate artists with disabilities on stage. Moreover, our initiatives have influenced institutional practices, such as the inclusion of deaf individuals in professional arts education. There are a lot of this type of small examples in Armenia that we can be proud of.

Are there any plans of future collaboration with the Swedish partner?

- Our collaboration is continuing. We are currently exploring further collaboration opportunities, including a project with renowned Swedish choreographer Veera Suvalo Grimberg, who will work with our dancers in Armenia to create joint performances. Additionally, we have sought pedagogical support from our Swedish partners to enhance the training we offer to art teachers in inclusive practices. And I think that ShareMusic & Performing Arts can contribute significant knowledge and experience from Sweden. So, it is another rewarding opportunity for mutual collaboration and exchange of knowledge.