Founded in Armenia in 1997 as an NGO, the Gyumri Center of Contemporary Art (GCCA) strives to cultivate contemporary art experiences in Armenia, involving Armenian artists and the international community. It also edits the Gyumri International Biennial of Contemporary Art catalogue, publishes the magazine ArtToday—featuring international contemporary arts with a focus on Western Asia, the Caucasus, and South Eastern Europe—and presents art events, workshops, and lectures.
For twelve years the GCCA has organized the only consistent international biennial of contemporary art in the Commonwealth of Independent States: the Gyumri International Biennial of Contemporary Art. The biennial will have its eighth edition in 2012. The GCCAworks through process, exchange, education, and continuous activity to deliver a unique experience of the Armenian landscape, history, and context, as well as opportunities for artists and curatorial exchange.
Today, almost all funding for the contemporary arts and cultural activities in Armenia is focused on the capital city, Yerevan. The GCCA places an equally important emphasis on educational and participative work involving Gyumri’s inhabitants.