The Vahé & Lucie Award is given annually to TUMO students and alumni throughout Armenia in five categories: Technology, Music, Film, Photography, and Arts.

The awards are given to TUMO students and alumni who created the best projects during workshops and learning labs held from January 2018 to September 2025.

The 556 projects representing various TUMO centers and boxes across Armenia were evaluated by a jury composed of TUMO staff, alumni, and leading industry professionals, based on creativity, effort, and technical level.

VAHÉ & LUCIE 2025 WINNERS

TECHNOLOGY

1st Place 

Learning lab: Building a self-balancing robot
TUMO Yerevan, TUMO Dilijan, TUMO Boxes in Ijevan, Sevan, and Chambarak

Alumni and students from Tumo Yerevan, Dilijan, Ijevan, Sevan, and Chambarak created this robot during Sabia Ali’s “Build a self-balancing robot” learning lab in 2023.

They explored the principles of building self-balancing robots, used Fusion 360 to design it in 3D, and programmed the robot. They also learned how to design PCB boards and work with Arduino. Through teamwork, they built four self-balancing robots using Arduino, electric motors, a gyroscope sensor, a Bluetooth module, and soldering equipment.

2nd Place

Learning lab: DIY 3D Printers
TUMO Yerevan

TUMO Yerevan alumni created this 3D printer in 2019 during Ashish Mohit’s “DIY 3D Printers” learning lab. They learned about the structure of 3D printers and the mathematics behind their movements.

They explored clay as an eco-friendly material and experimented with printing using it. During the lab, the Tumo students programmed the printer in C++ using Arduino, built it from the necessary parts, and as a result, created a working 3D printer that makes clay objects.

3rd Place

Learning lab: Oh No! You’re in a different dimension and have to escape
TUMO Yerevan

Hovhannes Lazyan, 16

TUMO Yerevan alum Hovhannes Lazyan created this puzzle game in 2024 during Karine Asloyan’s “Oh No! You’re in a different dimension and have to escape” learning lab. In order to create it, he studied game design, Unity C#, and how to integrate artificial intelligence into games. The final result is an open-world puzzle game, where the main character solves puzzles and opens portals with the help of NPCs.

MUSIC

1st Place 

Learning lab: Arik Grigoryan’s long-term learning lab
TUMO Yerevan

Astghik Hovakimyan, 18
Artur Zaqaryan, 16

In 2025, TUMO Yerevan students Astghik Hovakimyan and Arthur Zaqaryan created this song as the final project of Arik Grigoryan’s long-term learning lab. Astghik drew inspiration from a driver’s story about his love and dedication to his fish, which symbolizes the things we become too attached to. They wrote the lyrics first, and then, working together, Astghik and Arthur developed the melody, transitioning from folk-style chords to a more electronic sound. Later, with the help of members of Zrangi, one of TUMO’s student bands, they added violin, duduk, blul, and backing vocals. Through their collaboration with Arik Grigoryan, they also created a live version of the song.

2nd Place

Learning lab: Explore Armenian music
TUMO Kapan

Tina Hakopyan, 15

Tina Hakobyan from TUMO Kapan created this song during Vardan Duvenjyan and Shushanik Ghazaryan’s “Explore Armenian music” learning lab in 2024. She studied various Armenian folk songs and their rhythmic structures. After listening to “Tamzara,” she decided to create a remix of the song, blending it with a modern electronic sound. During the lab, she learned to work with synthesizers, explored non-standard music styles, and used Logic software to discover Armenian music from a new perspective.

3rd Place

Learning lab: Transform environments with sound
TUMO Yerevan

Ani Grigoryan, 24

TUMO Yerevan alum Ani Grigoryan created the song “Invisible” in 2020 during Karoline Partamyan and Ethan Primason’s “Transform Environments with Sound” learning lab. Ani originally wrote the song during her first year of medical school, feeling overlooked in a large, unfamiliar environment. Years later, she reworked it at the TUMO lab, using everyday sounds like a headphone microphone recording, a kalimba, and energy drink cans. The result is a raw, experimental, and deeply personal track with a homemade feel.

FILM

1st Place

Learning lab: Create paper-cut animation
TUMO Dilijan

Gagik Tamamyan, 18
Margarita Khachatryan, 19
Rebeka Matinyan, 21

TUMO Dilijan alumni Gagik Tamamyan, Margarita Khachatryan, and Rebeka Matinyan created the animation “Traveling with Adventures” in 2021 during Daniela Shnitzer’s “Create a paper-cut animation” learning lab. They learned the entire process of making a paper-cut animation, from developing the initial idea and script to sound design and post-production. During the lab, they cut characters out of paper, built backgrounds, and created a stop-motion animation.

2nd Place

Learning lab: Documentary filmmaking
TUMO Kapan

Tigran Galoyan, 15

TUMO Kapan student Tigran Galoyan created his film in 2024 during Nikolay Hovhannisyan’s “Documentary filmmaking” learning lab. In his film, Tigran presents his grandfather’s memories, sharing the story of his life and his family through his grandfather’s eyes. For Tigran, the camera became a tool: a way to connect with his grandfather and make new discoveries about his life. Then, in the editing stage, Tigran gave the film a new energy by blending the quiet pace of his grandfather Armo’s life with the unique drive of Tigran’s own teenage perspective.

3rd Place

Learning lab: Discover the stories
TUMO Gyumri, TUMO Boxes in Azatan and Artik

Students and alumni from TUMO Gyumri, Azatan, and Artik created this film in 2025 during Anna Hakobyan’s “Discover the stories” learning lab. They explored how documentary filmmaking can find and present the stories hidden in everyday life. They chose a subject, studied his life, developed a visual style, and worked to convey the emotional and thought-provoking sides of his stories. The final result is a documentary film about a blacksmith.

PHOTOGRAPHY

1st Place 

Learning lab: Villages of Artsakh through your camera
TUMO Stepanakert

Marat Martirosyan, 21

TUMO Stepanakert alum Marat Martirosyan completed this project in 2022 during Diana Balughyan’s “Villages of Artsakh through your camera” learning lab, where he visited various villages in Artsakh and uncovered their stories. While photographing in the village, Marat was accompanied by the three children from the photo and a dog. The photograph captures a farewell moment with the children, where Marat looked back from the road to say goodbye to them one more time, ultimately creating this picture.

2nd Place

Learning lab: Portrait of Stepanakert
TUMO Yerevan, TUMO Stepanakert

Alisa Harutyunyan, 19

TUMO Stepanakert alum Alisa Harutyunyan took this photograph in 2022 during Rostom Guyumjyan and Inna Mkhitaryan’s “Portrait of Stepanakert” learning lab. It was taken in Pitachok, where Alisa had encountered a little girl with a quiet, fearful, yet brave gaze. She waited until the girl looked directly at her, and in that moment, she captured the frame, creating this story of silence and strength.

3rd Place

Learning lab: Monochrome magic
TUMO Yerevan

Hayk Ghazaryan, 21

TUMO Yerevan student Hayk Ghazaryan created this project in 2024 during Davit Nersisyan’s “Monochrome magic” learning lab. Each pair of images shares a structural and conceptual connection about the relationships between humans, nature, and technology. Using the contrast of light and shadow, he explored themes of waiting, process, and creative intervention, finding a new perspective in a familiar environment.

ARTS

1st Place 

Learning lab: Visualize the Armenian alphabet
TUMO Yerevan

Agata Hovhannisyan, 24

TUMO Yerevan alum Agatha Hovhannisyan created this project in 2021 during Arevik Dori’s “Visualize the Armenian alphabet” learning lab. The project was made possible thanks to a partnership with the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations in the framework of MOOC project. She explored the process of illustrating and animating the Armenian alphabet, ultimately using a random selection method to create infographic animations for the letters Կ, Թ, and Ծ. In these animations, each letter transforms into an object or living thing whose name begins with that letter.

2nd Place

Learning lab: Illustrating poetry
TUMO Yerevan

Lusine Melkonyan, 20

TUMO Yerevan alum Lusine Melkonyan created this project in 2021 during Arpine Aleksanyan’s “Illustrating poetry” learning lab. She studied classical and contemporary Armenian poetry, selected various works, and illustrated them using diverse artistic styles. The piece is titled “The Arrival of Spring,” and the portrait is of the poet Vahan Terian.

Disclaimer: TUMO does not endorse smoking.

3rd Place

Learning lab: Patterns of Armenia
TUMO Yerevan

TUMO Yerevan students created this project in 2019 during the “Patterns of Armenia” learning lab, where they studied Armenian art and architecture. Working in a small format, they created patterns inspired by their visits to museums and their own research and impressions.

The Vahé & Lucie Annual Awards encourages TUMO students and alumni to innovate and make strides in their fields. The program was launched by Vahé Fattal in 2018 to honor his late wife Lucie. Since then, Vahé has since passed away, and the competition is now dedicated to both of their memories. On behalf of all TUMO students, alumni, and staff, we are tremendously grateful to the Fattals for their vision and generosity.

Vahé was a painter and graphic designer who studied at the National School of Fine Arts in Paris. After working as an art director for major firms in Los Angeles, he established his own design and advertising agency. Its creative services included corporate identity and communications, advertising and marketing, motion picture and television campaigns, and motion graphics and branding. The agency’s clients included the “Big Five” Hollywood movie studios, National Geographic, Nissan, UCLA Extension, and First Interstate Bank. For 18 years, Vahé’s firm was also ABC Television’s exclusive advertising agency.

Lucie graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a master’s degree in philosophy and French literature. She went on to take intensive French Language and Civilization Courses (CCFS) at the Sorbonne University in Paris. Vahé and Lucie met, lived, and were married in Paris. They later settled in Los Angeles, where Lucie taught French before founding a travel agency in Beverly Hills. Her agency organized personalized international travel & accommodation services for the art world, entertainment industry, and corporate businesses.

Throughout his life, Vahé was creatively involved in advancing Armenian causes and projects. He designed the raised-first Karabakh symbol and posters (1988) and the flag of Karabakh (1998). He helped establish the Golden Apricot International Film Festival (2004) and designed its visual identity. Vahé also designed the “Make it Happen” advertising campaign (2004) for the Armenia Fund Telethon and was the art director for AIM/Armenian International Magazine (1990-1992).

Vahé and Lucie shared a commitment to and passion for all things Armenian, education, the arts, and exploring the world.