COAF launches Horizon Festival in Armenia to fund rural youth programs

COAF and Turntables are launching Horizon Festival in Armenia on Aug. 2, with international electronic artists performing across three venues and proceeds supporting rural youth programs. The series runs through Sept. 25 and includes stops at COAF SMART Campus and Garni Temple.

Why it matters: - Horizon Festival connects international electronic music fans with Armenia’s cultural sites while directing proceeds to COAF’s rural youth programs. - The festival adds a new live-music format to Armenia and ties entertainment revenue to community development. - More information is available at the festival website.

What happened: - COAF and Turntables co-organized Horizon Festival as a three-part event series in Armenia. - The first event is set for Aug. 2 at the COAF SMART Campus in Lori, in northern Armenia. - The second event is scheduled for Aug. 22 at Garni Temple, east of Yerevan. - The final event is set for Sept. 25, with the location and lineup still to be announced.

The details: - The Aug. 2 lineup includes Satori, Son of Son and Tamada. - Satori is a Dutch producer and live performer known for blending organic instrumentation with melodic electronic music. - Son of Son, also known as the Great Blondino, is a Swedish artist known for cinematic, genre-defying electronic music. - Tamada is a Georgian artist whose live performances draw on cultural heritage while pushing contemporary electronic music. - Stephan Bodzin will headline the Aug. 22 show at Garni Temple. - Garni Temple is described as a historic Greco-Roman site and a striking setting for live music. - Team Telecom Armenia provides technological support and sponsorship for the festival. - COAF says proceeds will go directly to its youth programs. - The event series is designed as a curated experience combining sound, light, music, cuisine and immersive environments.

Between the lines: - COAF is using Horizon to broaden its fundraising beyond traditional appeals and into a cultural event with international reach. - The festival also signals growing use of heritage and rural venues as destinations for arts programming in Armenia. - COAF says it has advanced rural communities in Armenia through education, healthcare, social services and economic development since 2003. - COAF says it has impacted more than 120,000 lives across seven regions and operates SMART Centers and holistic programs.

What's next: - Organizers plan to announce the final event’s location and lineup before Sept. 25. - Ticketing and programming details remain available through the festival website. - COAF’s fundraising proceeds from the festival are expected to support ongoing youth programming in rural Armenia.