Houses of Culture in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh): Institutional Structure and Local Engagement Before the 2020 Conflict

Abstract

This paper discusses cultural development in the unrecognized Republic of Artsakh during the post-Soviet period, with a particular focus on rural cultural infrastructure prior to the 2020 war. Based on extensive fieldwork conducted between 2018 and 2019, including ethnographic observations, in-depth interviews, and institutional analysis, the study investigates how local mechanisms-such as Houses of Culture, art schools, and community initiatives-functioned under the constraints of political non-recognition, economic hardship, and geopolitical isolation. Despite limited resources and formal statehood, local actors developed hybrid and often improvised systems of cultural engagement, shaped by both state-driven programs and informal community support, including benefactor involvement. The dual dynamic of direct (state-planned) and indirect (externally supported) cultural development reveals complex interactions between governance, identity, and resilience in Artsakh’s rural communities. In the wake of the 2023 forced displacement and complete Azerbaijani control over the region, this research acquires renewed significance. The documented cultural practices and infrastructures not only reflect a vanished way of life but also offer essential insights for future memory preservation, cultural continuity in exile, and post-conflict reconstruction strategies for displaced Artsakh Armenians.