Armen Amiryan: Culture must be a product on sale (video)
The model of the government by which we are lead today for developing and maintaining culture is considered to be at least incorrect by Minister of Culture Armen Amiryan. The country like Armenia, which has rich historic-cultural heritage and contemporary art should certainly have state support, but culture must be observed as a product on sale, because if it isn’t on sale, it cannot become world famous, cannot even be accepted in the homeland by its people. The opening of newly established, new type of museums will be directed to the development of tourism. For example, museum of Scuba divers, where the best samples of socialist realism will be displayed. The Minister is reviewing the off-budget revenues of all the creative collectives and defines high planned thresholds. According to his words, AMD 300 million shouldn’t be spent on film industry and have only AMD 3 million income; in the whole world film industry is a profitable business. “Hayfilm is really a national value, and we should be able to revive it,- said the Minister,- but it is a serious issue and requires serious sums. Investors are needed, and Hayfilm has been included in the program of privatization for the second time.” National Gallery of Armenia will have a new building, and the old one will be fully provided to the History Museum. As for the vacancy of Director of Opera and its candidates, the Ministered answered that contest must be announced, but he doesn’t harry to do it and will maximally use the time set by law.
