The Armenian Museum of Fresno Receives $300,000

FRESNO, CA – The Armenian Museum of Fresno (AMF) announced that it has received a 2024 Expanded Access to Arts and Culture grant, funded by Measure P and administered by the Fresno Arts Council. The AMF was awarded two grants for $300,000.

The two grants will complement each other to help the AMF toward its objectives. The grant in the amount of $120,000 is awarded for general operating support, while the remaining $180,000 for a specific project titled Յուշեր_WhoShare_Memories. This multidisciplinary project initiated by the AMF focuses on the critical role of artistic practices and digital technologies in activating the dispersed memories and history of the Armenian American communities in Fresno through a new permanent exhibition, pedagogical programs, and digital archives.

Expanded Access to Arts and Culture (EAAC) grants totaling $9,461,420.90 have been awarded to 112 arts and culture organizations and projects in the city of Fresno, among them the AMF. This is the first-ever disbursement of Expanded Access to Arts and Culture grants funded by Measure P, the sales tax initiative approved by the City of Fresno voters in 2018, which sets aside 12% of collected funds to support cultural arts in Fresno for thirty years. Visit Fresno Arts Council’s website to view a complete list of grant recipients at https://www.fresnoartscouncil.org/artsandculturegrants.

“The Board of Trustees of the Armenian Museum of Fresno thanks the Fresno City Council, the Fresno Arts Council, Board of Trustees, staff members, and in particular their Executive Director Lilia Gonzales Chavez, for their diligence, in making a portion of the City of Fresno Measure P Funds become a reality to support Fresno based Arts and Cultural Organizations,” stated Varoujan Der Simonian, Director of the AMF, “Their strong commitment to advancing Arts and Cultural programs in Fresno is much appreciated. The larger Fresno community, including the Armenians of Central Valley, will greatly benefit from this dedication!”

ABOUT THE ARMENIAN MUSEUM OF FRESNO

The Armenian Heritage Museum, a California Public Benefit Corporation, (dba, Armenian Museum of Fresno), was established in 2001, and incorporated in 2003 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization by the Armenian Technology Group, Inc. (ATG), to enrich Fresno’s arts and cultural tapestry and contribute to its growth. The Museum highlights the contributions of Armenians and Armenian Americans to Fresno County and the San Joaquin Valley, complementing the cultural fabric of what is known today as Central California. The Museum’s program organizes rotating fine arts exhibitions, provides a forum for visual and performing arts–including music and literature –holds workshops, symposiums, research projects, and community work, and produces publications for the greater good.