Culture serves as a basis for peaceful coexistence. It provides understanding and tolerance. Without culture people are not able to exist in the world. Culture is also about quality of life. It creates trust and better understanding among people. It merely makes people happy and satisfied with their lives. At the end of each project and at the end of each day we work with people and for people. Through trainings we seek to support people, provide opportunities for certain quality of life. Culture is always about people.

Reflecting people’s needs is a step toward successful project proposal.

There are quite few requirements for each cultural proposal. One should never forget that the language should be clear, consistent and precise. You have to have a clear idea what you are going to do. You have to have the ability and right tools on how to reflect the essence to attract your donors.

If you’re applying for money or some other kind of support you have to analyze and think over the expectations of your donor. You always need to be able to convince an expert that you know what you are talking about and what your goal is.

Even if you have a great idea, you have to be careful and think thoroughly to the extent that will make it possible to implement. You have to analyze the needs of your institution, know where you are heading for, find right partners you share common values with.

Cultural advocacy is a tool for building image.

There is always a need for cultural advocacy. Tense political situation and economical difficulties are very much related to lack of understanding.

Culture changes people’s lives, makes them more open and strengthens mutual understanding.

Armenia is a great country with a huge potential but maybe not well known in the surrounding world. It has a touristic prospective, great culture, warm people. Cultural advocacy can present the outer world, your values, the way you see yourself, your culture. Through advocacy you can build an image of a great and valuable country with rich cultural heritage for foreigners.

Technology helps to transform cultural values.

With everyday developing technology culture becomes more available for broader audience. Every mobile application has a cultural characteristic. We should not underestimate the role of technology as it provides access to any kind of information. Indeed, we need to provide the content to graphic designers to help them to transform culture in various applications. Behind each simple game there exists an aspect of certain culture. Technology is a great tool through which people read, become informed about countries and their cultures. Technology and culture coexist together, where one helps the other to reach broader audience.

People are the center of our attention.

It’s important for each country where we implement trainings to talk with people and learn more about them, about their ideas, their goals and audience. Project methodology is universal but at the end of the day we deal with people. They are in the center of our attention. We reflect people’s needs and try to fulfill their expectations.

Working with audience and trying to attract their attention is of vital importance. We can use culture as a tool for social integration. I’m against the idea that art is isolated or that it is for a very small group of people. What matters is how it is presented, explained. It is necessary for people to understand and get involved in arts.

Cultural centers are like community centers. Having art as part of your life is passion. You don’t have to be hyper professional to understand arts. People need art because it empowers and enriches our life.

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Magdalena Krasovska Igras lives in Warsaw, Poland. She works at the Information Society Development Foundation. For the last 12 years she’s been writing project applications. She is working as a producer, project manager for quite few big international projects for which she also raises money. Projects focus on improving capacity of cultural institutions, development skills of artists, usually young musicians. Within the frameworks of “ Culture and Creativity” program Mr Igras has been conducting training sessions in Ukraine, Belarus and Armenia. Program in Yerevan was organized with the support of the British Embassy in Armenia within EU-Eastern Partnership project.