New Western Armenian poetry program launches
2026-02-10 - 15:16
A new literary initiative dedicated to innovative Western Armenian poetry is under way for the 2025–2026 academic year. Quarter Tone Poets // Քառորդ Ձայն Բանաստեղծներ (QTP) is a multidisciplinary poetry program that promotes and celebrates contemporary literary expression in Western Armenian by exploring the musicality of language and the creative possibilities that emerge through music. QTP seeks to cultivate a community that is inclusive, accessible, innovative and enjoyable. The program strives to maintain an open mind to the many ways that linguistic expression can manifest itself, and is committed to promoting authentic self-expression as an essential path toward cultural progress and evolution. QTP offers a range of artistic and professional opportunities, including a series of seven poetry workshops, a print and digital poetry anthology, a poetry contest with cash prizes and a music video project integrating poetry with oud and other Armenian folk instruments. Together, these components are designed to support both emerging and established writers while expanding the expressive possibilities of Western Armenian literature. Workshops have thus far taken place with Armenian writing classes at UCLA and UC Berkeley. Click to view slideshow. A spring workshop is planned to take place in New York City, with other gatherings in development for Beirut, Buenos Aires, Oakland and beyond. To explore a workshop with your community, please connect via the contact form at https://www.quartertonepoets.org/faq-contact. Submissions from writers of all levels are now open for the Quarter Tone Poets Anthology, a print and digital publication that will showcase the discoveries, voices and complexities of the program’s creative community. All poems submitted for the anthology will also be considered for the accompanying poetry contest, which will award three cash prizes: first place: $1,000 USD; second place $700 USD; third place $300 USD. The Quarter Tone Poets program is supported by an արդ եւս | in view Western Armenian culture grant from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and is led by Glendale’s inaugural Poet Laureate and UCLA faculty member Raffi Joe Wartanian. Submission deadline: June 1, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. PST To submit and review entry guidelines, visit: https://forms.gle/h6xyMj7L6nNrHooo9 To learn more about Quarter Tone Poets and its guiding values, visit: http://quartertonepoets.org/ For more information, please contact: Program director: Raffi Joe Wartanian at wartanian.raffi@gmail.com Outreach coordinators: Mary Terterov at maryterterov@gmail.com; Tenny Minassian at tennyminassian@gmail.com; Nairi Simonyan at nairisimonyan@gmail.com.