Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography

The Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography trains actors, directors and theatre scholars. It opened in 1944 as the Yerevan State Institute of Theatrical Arts, with departments in acting, directing and theatre studies. Its first director was Vavik Vardanyan, honored as an Honored Art Worker and People's Artist of the Armenian SSR — Soviet-era state titles for artists of note.

The name changed twice more. From 1953 to 1994 it was the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Fine Arts. Then, until 1999, it went by Yerevan State Institute of Theatre Arts. Cinematography joined the title only after that.

Over the decades, Vardan Ajemyan, Hrachya Ghaplanyan and Henrik Hovhannisyan all taught here at different points, alongside other figures in Armenian theatre training.

The institute sits in central Yerevan. Whether current student productions or performances are open to the public is best checked directly with the school.