ACTV is an online TV project by Focus, which has become an alternative platform for media development in Armenia. Created in 2012, it aims to use art as a tool to study and analyze.
Today we witness, and participate in, a new phase of development of social thought in Armenia. One of the crucial issues of its agenda is redefining and rethinking the notion of public space, in either the theoretical and virtual, or the physical dimension. Moreover, it encompasses the acknowledgment of the importance of a new type of public space, which might have a crucial role in contemporary social processes.
The media plays a key role in these transformations. It not only reflects Armenian reality but also turns into an extraordinary public space itself. By shaping itself as an instrument, the media interferes with the social reality, influences it, and separates from it again.
In order to take part in and influence the above-mentioned process the ACTV has created 4 main platforms:
Exploring Public Space: This platform requires a process of long–term research, and aims to investigate, identify, inventorize and analyze both recognized and neglected public spaces. The main focus is on documenting protests and the diversity of human behavioral expressions within them.
Social: This platform has two sub-platforms, which are Anti–Advertisement and Short Videos. Anti–Advertisement is a parody of advertisements, that tend to problematize some common public stereotypes; whereas Short Videos is about different social issues.
Human: What kind of people participate in political initiatives? How does that participation affect their way of thinking and their personal lives? Why do they continue being active in the country’s social life? The Human platform targets the specifics and fine details of the interactions between an individual or a small group and the community.
Conversation: This is a series of analytical discussions featuring culturologists, art historians, artists, sociologists and other experts, who are trying to raise general awareness about the issues of different social spheres in Armenia.
From 2012 to 2016 the project was conducted within Utopiana.am NGO.
For cooperation please contact the program coordinator.
