The Vahé & Lucie Award shines a spotlight on the creativity and talent of TUMO students and alumni across Armenia, celebrating their original works. Sponsored by the Vahé & Lucie Foundation, the award reflects their deep passion for Armenian culture, education, and the arts. By honoring exceptional achievements, it inspires young creators to showcase their unique vision.

Vahé & Lucie 2025 Awards: Rules and Guidelines

Award Categories

• Arts: Visual arts, graphic design, illustrations, video art, performance art, conceptual art, and more.
• Technology: Software solutions, video games, websites, apps, robotics, mechanical devices, tech innovations, projects created using AI, and more.
• Music: Original songs, musical compositions, and conceptual audio art.
• Film: Feature films, documentaries and animations.
• Photography: Documentary and artistic photography, including single photos (up to 3) and photo stories (up to 15 photos).

How to Boost Your Chances of Winning

• Students: Stay active in workshops and labs until the end of September to build and improve your portfolio.
• Alumni: Take part in learning labs and create new projects. You can apply to the labs through am.tumo.world.

Prizes

Each category will have three winners:

• 1st Place: $3,000 (equivalent in AMD)
• 2nd Place: $2,000 (equivalent in AMD)
• 3rd Place: $1,000 (equivalent in AMD)

Participation Rules

• Projects will be selected by workshop leaders and learning lab teams from final works created in TUMO workshops and labs held between January 2018 and September 2025.
• Projects that have previously won in any category of the Vahé & Lucie Awards and were created as part of a TUMO workshop or lab will not be eligible for this year’s competition.

Jury

The jury will include leading experts in each category and TUMO alumni.

Key Dates

• Project Review Deadline: September 30, 2025
• Winners Announced: October 31, 2025

For questions, email us at [email protected].

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 also 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 an artist 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.

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).

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, the entertainment industry as well as corporate businesses.

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