- The Armenian Weekly - https://armenianweekly.com -

Arto Vaun to Speak at Watertown’s ACEC on Dec. 29

WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)—Arto Vaun, Senior Lecturer at the American University of Armenia (AUA) and Director of the university’s newly launched Center for Creative Writing, will speak at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC) of Watertown on Dec. 29.

Arto Vaun

During the talk organized by the Hamazkayin Boston chapter, Vaun will be speaking about his experience in Armenia and AUA’s recent launch of two major initiatives: The Center for Creative Writing and Locomotive Magazine. 

The center is the first such hub of creative writing and literary studies not only in Armenia but in the former Soviet Union. It will serve as a bridge between non-Armenian and Armenian writers and students of literature.

One of the center’s main projects is Locomotive (locomotivemag.com), a bi-annual journal of contemporary poetry and writing. It is the first world-class, non-Armenian, Anglophone literary journal edited, printed, and exported from Armenia and the former Soviet Union.

Locomotive is one of AUA’s first major publications and will be available this fall at various independent bookshops around the world. The inaugural issue includes highly acclaimed poets and writers such as D.A. Powell, Tara Bergin, Stephen Burt, Gail Mazur, Carol Muske-Dukes, Scott Cairns, and Karen Van Dyck.

Boston-native Vaun is a poet, writer, and musician based in Yerevan. His poems and writings have been published widely. Vaun served as the co-editor of the Armenian Weekly from 2000 to 2002.

The event will be taking place at the ACEC Lachinian Conference room (47 Nichols Ave, Watertown, Mass.) on Dec. 29 at 7:30 p.m.