[1] Theater in Armenia has a centuries-old history and dates back to pagan rituals, for example, worship of death and resurrection of God Gisane – Ara the Beautiful[7] and celebration of coming of spring in honor of fertility and healing goddess Anahit.
Armenian tragedy dzajnarku-gusan and vohbergak, comedy genre katakergak and kataka-gusan, known from 1 century b.c., served as a base for further development of professional theater.
Academic program includes following subjects: In 2014, the part-time faculty was founded for distance education with the specialties of Choreography Directing, Cinematographic Art and Sociocultural Activity.
The university has two options of educational process for two-level degree (bachelor and master, 4 and 2 years accordingly): There are also postgraduate studies (full-time and extramural).
Since 1961 international students including Armenians from the diaspora (from Russia, United States, Georgia, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Bulgaria, etc.)
The institute publishes a monthly journal Handes (Armenian: «Հանդես») that includes scientific and methodological articles of professors and students.
The institute hold specialized competitions – scenic speech, singing, dance, “best duet acting”, “best directing work”, “best photography.” After completing courses students find jobs in Gyumri Drama Theater named after V. Ajemian, Gyumri Puppetry Theater named after S. Alikhanian, tele and radio companies.
In 2008–2009, the departments of choreography and camera operator, in 2010–2011, art administration and in 2011-2012 masters programs in the fields of acting, directing and cinematography were opened.
The following performances were stages as final works: At the theater festival in Lori, students of the university took prizes in following categories: Academic staff of the university includes best artists of the Republic, who are known not only in the country but even far beyond – popular artists, laureates of international contests, State Prizes in addition to 39 professors, 38 docents, 102 lecturers and teachers.
Over the years several well-known artists taught in the university or some of the alumnus became prominent artists including Victor Abajian, Khoren Abrahamyan, Vagharsh Vagharshian, Armen Gulakian, Aleksey Djivelegov, Vahram Zaryan, Karen Kocharyan, Henrik Malyan, Yervand Manaryan, Gudj Manukyan, Frunzik Mkrtchyan, Vladimir Msryan, Edvard Muradyan, Nerses Hovhannisyan, Michael Poghosyan, Sabir Rizaev, Metaksia Simonyan, Tigran Shamirhanyan, Arthur Elbakyan and Edgar Elbakyan.