IALA’s 2025 Emerging Writers Showcase

Join us for our fifth annual Emerging Writers Showcase — a reading that highlights the work of rising Armenian writers — hosted by Shahé Mankerian, IALA’s Mentorship Program Director. The event will take place virtually on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at 9:00 AM Pacific | 12:00 PM Eastern | 8:00 PM Armenia Time. Watch the Recording.

The showcase will feature readings by the participants of our 2025 Mentorship Program, and the winners of IALA’s 2025 Young Armenian Poets Awards in honor of Tamar Asadourian. We are very excited to welcome these new voices into our growing literary community!

IALA’s 2025 mentee cohort includes Milena Abrahamyan, Georgi Bargamian, Nanore Barsoumian, Marie Davtyan, Aline Keledjian, Armenak Menechyan, Elina Mir, E.C. Salibian, Siranush Sargsyan, Judith Saryan, Mariam Vahradyan, and Karin Vosgueritchian.

The IALA 2025 mentors are Nancy Agabian, Sylvia Angelique Alajaji, Haig Chahinian, Talar Chahinian, Tina Demirdjian, Arminé Iknadossian, Arthur Kayzakian, Nancy Kricorian, Gina Srmabekian, Dr. Alene Terzian-Zeitounian, Lori Yeghiayan Friedman, and Aida Zilelian.

The winners of the 2025 Young Armenian Poets Awards in honor of Tamar Asadourian are Emily Chamichyan, Hrant Shadyan and Sarine Shahinian. The 2025 YAPA judges are Gregory Djanikian, Arminé Iknadossian, and Raffi Joe Wartanian.