TUMO Studios is a free educational program for university-aged students and young professionals with a passion for craftsmanship and design. We program ateliers, “educational workshops,” in fashion, jewelry, embroidery, pottery, printing, product design and the culinary arts. Inspired by Armenia’s rich artisanal heritage, TUMO Studios combines local know-how with contemporary methods and design trends.

Nestled right in the heart of Yerevan’s bustling, frenetic center in a spacious, turn of the century loft, TUMO Studios is fostering a new wave of Armenian design and craftsmanship, fusing Armenia’s richly layered cultural traditions with a contemporary sensibility. Through our free educational programs, which connect 16-28 year old students with innovative and uncompromising design atelier leaders from all over the world, we’re laying the foundation for a new generation of creatives, reaching back in time to explore the nuances of Armenian craftsmanship while building a bridge into the future. Working with an assortment of materials and raw, organic products indiginous to Armenia’s lush, alpine landscape, our students are creating their own hand-crafted, sellable products from scratch. From serving trays designed with a hearty Armenian meal in mind to lustrous pieces of ephemeral jewelry embossed with glistening chunks of tuff stone and plexiglass trivets marked by a concentric series of geometrically swirling designs inspired by Armenia’s famed Zvartnots Cathedral, each of our pieces pay tribute to Armenia’s legacy of craftsmanship and creativity. Blending the past with the present with an eye on the future, mixing together unique cultural touchpoints, and handing the proverbial keys over to the next generation. That’s really what TUMO Studios is all about. www.tumostudios.com @tumostudios

The ultimate goal of TUMO Studios is to foster a sense of creativity and cultivate a new generation of designers, artisans, and entrepreneurs who raise the quality of locally produced goods while making Armenian design products globally competitive. However, none of this would be possible without the eclectic range of atelier leaders who travel to Yerevan each year to host workshops and work directly with our students, imparting their own knowledge and skills to our eager and enthusiastic young learners. By directly connecting local students and young professionals with international designers through our program ateliers, TUMO Studios students are untapping their creativity and producing unique and innovative products for everyday use: beautiful objects you can touch, wear, and smell. This sense of inclusiveness and togetherness, collaboration and dialogue, is a core part of the essence of TUMO Studios, drawing back to the core European values that we so staunchly admire: openness and respect. Without these traits, our pursuit of boundless creativity would be all the more difficult.