ARCS Project

Romanian Spring Traditions
2026-03-28 11:30 - 13:00 UTC | Sammamish Library, 825 228th Ave SE, Sammamish, WA, 98075
Join us for a special event highlighting some of the spring traditions in Romania. As the land awakens after winter, many Romanian customs and stories focus on the connection between people and nature - marking the return of warmth and the renewal of earth. We'll also feature Easter traditions, including colorful egg decorating, seasonal foods, and more. Come discover the spirit of Romanian springtime through stories and activities! Please fill out the registration form for each child so that we can best prepare. Register HERE. This event is free, but donations are always welcome here. Romanian Spring Traditions March 28, 11:30am-1pmSammamish Library825 228th Ave SESammamish, WA 98075

The Meteorite by Cristina Hermeziu
2026-03-29 09:00 | Online
Join us for the latest installment in our literary series exploring short stories from the anthology Lucruri mărunte. Copilăria în comunism (Small things. The childhood during communism).
We look forward to a virtual discussion with author Cristina Hermeziu about her short story "The Meteorite". A link to the text (in Romanian) will be provided after registering below for the event. Please
We invite children in the Romanian diaspora who are interested in learning more about what a typical childhood looked like in communist Romania. Proficiency in Romanian is not required, however the discussion is likely to be bilingual. We will accommodate questions in English as needed. All are welcome!
This 2023 FILIT editorial project was compiled by the National Museum of Romanian Literature in Iași and it brought together 22 Romanian authors to share a story about one of the objects on display at the Museum of the Childhood during Communism.
Please register below and join us for a thoughtful conversation about the recent past and the joy of reading.Participants will receive a zoom link after registration,

Cristina Hermeziu is a writer and journalist. She was born in Iași in 1971 and has lived in France since 2005. She has published the novel Nickel (Cartier, 2024); the poetry collections Parisul nu crede în lacrimi (Paris Doesn’t Believe in Tears, Junimea, 2016), which received the First Book Award at the Tudor Arghezi International Festival; Între timp îți vezi de viața ta (In the Meantime, You Go On with...
Cristina Hermeziu is a writer and journalist. She was born in Iași in 1971 and has lived in France since 2005. She has published the novel Nickel (Cartier, 2024); the poetry collections Parisul nu crede în lacrimi (Paris Doesn’t Believe in Tears, Junimea, 2016), which received the First Book Award at the Tudor Arghezi International Festival; Între timp îți vezi de viața ta (In the Meantime, You Go On with Your Life, Junimea, 2020); and Elegii postHumane (PostHuman Elegies, Junimea, 2024), a bilingual Romanian–Spanish edition. She is also the author of the nonfiction/publicistic volume Vedere din Turnul Eiffel (View from the Eiffel Tower, 2017). Her short fiction appears in the anthologies Cartea copilăriilor (The Book of Childhoods, Polirom, 2016), Lucruri mărunte (Small Things, Editura Muzeelor Literare Iași, 2023), and Garderoba (The Wardrobe, Paralela 45, 2024). She also coordinated the collective volume Viața pe Facebook. Dau like, deci exist (Life on Facebook: I Like, Therefore I Am, Polirom, 2020). In 2018, she created Zoom France Roumanie, an online cultural magazine that promotes Romanian literature translated into French. She is a founding member of the Cosmose cultural association in Paris and writes literary reviews for ActuaLitté and Revue des Deux Mondes. Since 2025, she has been editor-in-chief of the new series of the magazine Scriptor.
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CRISTINA HERMEZIU este scriitoare și jurnalistă. S-a născut la Iași, în 1971. Din 2005 s-a stabilit în Franța. A publicat: Nickel, roman (Cartier, 2024), volumele de versuri Parisul nu crede în lacrimi (Junimea, 2016, Premiul Opera Prima, Festivalul internațional Tudor Arghezi), Între timp îți vezi de viața ta (Junimea, 2020), Elegii postHumane (Junimea, 2024, ediție bilingvă româno-spaniolă) și volumul de publicistică Vedere din Turnul Eiffel (2017). Este prezentă cu proză...
CRISTINA HERMEZIU este scriitoare și jurnalistă. S-a născut la Iași, în 1971. Din 2005 s-a stabilit în Franța. A publicat: Nickel, roman (Cartier, 2024), volumele de versuri Parisul nu crede în lacrimi (Junimea, 2016, Premiul Opera Prima, Festivalul internațional Tudor Arghezi), Între timp îți vezi de viața ta (Junimea, 2020), Elegii postHumane (Junimea, 2024, ediție bilingvă româno-spaniolă) și volumul de publicistică Vedere din Turnul Eiffel (2017). Este prezentă cu proză scurtă în antologiile Cartea copilăriilor (Polirom, 2016), Lucruri mărunte (Editura Muzeelor Literare Iași, 2023) și Garderoba (Paralela 45, 2024). A coordonat volumul colectiv Viața pe Facebook. Dau like, deci exist (Polirom, 2020). În 2018 a creat Zoom France Roumanie, revistă culturală online, unde promovează literatura română tradusă în franceză. Este membru fondator al asociației culturale Cosmose din Paris. Scrie cronici literare în ActuaLitté și Revue des Deux Mondes. Din 2025, este redactor-șef al revistei Scriptor, serie nouă.
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Explore Cristina Hermeziu's work: Nickel, Life on Facebook, and Scriptor.

Beginning Romanian 3 (Adults)
2026-04-13 - 2026-06-19 | Online
Overview
This class is designed for students with no prior knowledge about Romanian Language, but who have been exposed to Romanian culture and are interested to learn its language. It is an introductory Romanian Language course, where students will learn the simple present tense, greetings, numbers, dates, time, and other simple grammar. As a result, students will be able to participate in a 2-way conversation and will know the basics of writing and delivering speeches. Groups of 4-5 students / 60 min, weekly.
Scheduling
Time: To Be Determined – We will work with students to find the best times and days that work for you. Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.
Payment
Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).

Scholarships
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org prior to registration if you would like to be considered.

Romanian Pioneers: Part 3
2026-04-13 - 2026-06-19 | Online
Overview
This class aims to help students explore and embrace their Romanian identity and heritage. They will discover Romanian illustrous figures and find inspiration in their pioneer spirit, courage and tenacity. The students will interact with real Romanian role models while developing a global perspective of their place into the world as bilingual and bicultural citizens. Basic knowledge of Romanian required. Groups of 4-5 students / 60 min, weekly sessions

Scheduling
Time: To Be Determined – We will work with parents and students to find the best times and days that work for you. Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.

Payment

Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org if you would like to be considered.
Scholarships
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org prior to registration if you would like to be considered.
Next Course
Romanian History, Part I

Beginning Romanian 3
2026-04-13 - 2026-06-19 | Online
Overview
This class is tailored for students of Romanian origin nationwide who do not understand, nor speak the language, but who have been exposed to Romanian culture and are curious to find out more about their heritage. They will learn basic conversational skills in Romanian and will develop their pronunciation, vocabulary, writing and reading knowledge.They will gain confidence and will be able to connect with their Romanian family in meaningful ways. No knowledge of Romanian required. Groups of 4-5 students / 60 min, weekly.
Scheduling
Time: To Be Determined – We will work with parents and students to find the best times and days that work for you. Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.
Payment
Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).

Scholarships
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org prior to registration if you would like to be considered.

Beginning Romanian 1 (Adults)
2026-04-13 - 2026-06-19 | Online

Beginning Romanian 1
2026-04-13 - 2026-06-19 | Online

Improve Your Writing, Reading and Speaking Skills: Part 3
2026-04-13 10:00 - 2026-06-19 18:00 | Online
Overview
In this course, students will read intriguing texts on the world’s inexplicable mysteries such as pyramids, ghost apparitions, huge marine monsters, heroes with superpowers, UFOs, and many others. Since each text is accompanied by a recording and a dossier of activities, students will have the opportunity to further practice writing and speaking in Romanian while trying to offer explanations to the mysteries they have read about. For this class, students will keep a vocabulary journal and will write their own short texts or blog entries. Groups of 4-5 students / 60 min, weekly.

Schedule
Time: To Be Determined – We will work with parents and students to find the best times and days that work for you.
The times indicated in the schedule are only orientative.
Please fill out the registration form to let us know your availability.

Payment
Tuition for this course includes 10 classes on Zoom (60 minutes each).
New students must register for placement test.
We offer scholarships to families in need. Please email us at contact@arcsproject.org if you would like to be considered.

Night of Ideas 2026
2026-04-18 - 2026-04-19 | Town Hall Seattle and Gage Academy of Art
ARCS is a proud partner of this year's Night of Ideas, organized by the Alliance Française of Seattle and Villa Albertine.
Night of Ideas is an annual event dedicated to exploring pressing topics through culture and dialogue. This year’s global edition marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, inviting us to revisit the Enlightenment ideals that shaped both French and American democracy.
Across keynotes, panels, community conversations, and hands-on workshops, the event will examine the legacy of “progress” amid today’s challenges—from democratic backsliding and the climate crisis to algorithmic systems and cultural erosion. It will also explore how art, philosophy, literature, music, and community work can inspire new forms of optimism and agency.
Saturday, April 18: Town Hall Seattle – Keynotes + panelsSunday, April 19: Gage Academy of Art – Hands-on workshops, round table, and collaborative paint-by-numbers mural
Details and RSVP: https://www.afseattle.org/nightofideas

International Children's Friendship Festival 2026
2026-04-18 11:00 - 18:00 | Seattle Center – Fisher Pavilion, 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA, 98109, United States
ARCS is excited to participate again at this year’s International Children’s Friendship Festival! We will share a table with members from the local Moldovan community to promote Romania and Moldova, so please come stop by! International Children’s Friendship Festival is an event that is run by children and features performances by children. Various nationalities are represented through music, folk dancing and art. The children celebrate their international friendship through experiencing the rich tapestry of the world’s cultures. The event is free and open to the public. We are looking for children and teenagers of Romanian or Moldovan descent who are passionate to share their heritage!We have several volunteering options: from helping us plan to creating website content/brochures to leading activities and engaging with visitors. If you would like to volunteer, please fill out this form. We will confirm actual volunteer slots closer to the festival. For inquiries email us at youth@arcsproject.org. If you cannot volunteer this time, just swing by to see us at the festival! April 18, 11-6pmFisher Pavilion, Seattle Center305 Harrison StSeattle, WA 98109 *We will only be participating on Saturday, April 18, but the festival will take place April 18 and 19. The event is a well-established Pacific Northwest festival and volunteer-run with a loyal crowd and an increasing number of new children every year. It is annually recognized by proclamations of several elected officials in Washington State. Learn more about the festival from the organizers here.

GiveBIG for Education
2026-04-28 00:01 - 2026-05-05 23:59
ARCS is proud to participate again in the GiveBIG campaign, which supports WA-based non-profit organizations. This year we are raising funds to give more students the opportunity to learn about the Romanian culture and language. With your support we would like to offer more scholarships to students.

Our teaching methods are based on the core principles of Heritage Language Education that nourish bilingualism and address holisitically the bi-cultural identity of our students through project-based activities, play, authentic sources, critical thinking, and meaningful interactions with their families and communities. Our students gain pride and confidence as heritage language speakers and learners of Romanian, while developing a global understanding of the world. We also offer language classes for non-heritage speakers, especially adults.

Many of our high school students end up receiving the Global Seal of Biliteracy for their linguistic competency! Our comprehensive course catalog, together with our skilled instructors, provide students with the necessary tools to reach their goals.

GiveBIG takes place May 5, with early giving starting on April 28! Please mark your calendars and help us spread the gift of language!

ALTA Exams Fee
2026-04-29 08:00 - 2026-05-28 17:00

I Must Betray You
2026-04-30 18:00 | Private: Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98103
We starting back our book club!Join us and together we'll discover a diverse selection of books and connect over themes that inspire reflection. Our first pick is the award-winning book "I Must Betray You" by Ruta Sepetys. Please RSVP below. About the book: Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force. Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: either betray everyone and everything he loves, or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom? "I Must Betray You" is available for purchase at most large book stores. April 30 at 6pmGood Shepherd Center4649 Sunnyside Ave NRoom 221Seattle, WA 98103

ARCS Evenings
2026-05-07 19:00 | Pizzeria La Rocca, 8404 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98103
In between events like our book club, film festival, at other programs, we’re introducing ARCS Evenings, a space where we can keep the dialogue going, whether you’re a longtime supporter or you’re joining us for the first time.

We invite you at Pizzeria LaRocca, a Romanian-owned and award-winning restaurant.

Join us throughout the year for a glass of Romanian wine and a chance to meet other community members in a relaxing setting.
Mark your calendars and please RSVP below!

📌May 7 at 7pm
Pizzeria La Rocca
8404 Greenwood Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103

📌August 6 at 7pm

📌October 29 at 7pm

State of Color, Paintings by Sanda Berar
2026-05-09 15:00 - 17:00 | Third Culture Coffee, Bellevue, WA, United States
ARCS is happy to invite our community to a special evening of art and conversation featuring the work of local Romanian artist Sanda Berar
The exhibition brings together a series of expressive paintings inspired by nature, movement and emotion.

We hope many of you can join us.

May 9 at 3pm
Third Culture Coffee
80 102nd Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98004

Event details:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1EngaWNh2T/

June Exhibitions by Artists from ARCS Network
2026-06-02 - 2026-06-30 | Issaquah Coffee Company & Knutzen Family Theatre Gallery, Several locations, around Seattle, WA, United States
Sanda Berar Issaquah Coffee Company, Issaquah, WA. June 2026 A solo exhibition with pieces moving between landscapes, figures, flowers and cafés. The works invite viewers to pause, look more closely, and discover their own narratives within them. Liliana Sâmbotin Knutzen Family Theatre Gallery, Federal Way, WA. June – September 2026 A solo exhibition of glass works. The exhibition includes Seasons of Becoming, a four-piece series reflecting on growth, resilience, and renewal through the changing seasons. Macrina Bakery Belltown, Seattle, WA. June - July 2026 A solo exhibition of glass works. The collection brings together signature floral compositions, a tribute to the Pacific Northwest through depictions of the Space Needle and Mount Rainier, and Gate of Blossoms - a dreamy European doorway framed by a purple flowering tree. Each piece weaves together nature, place, and memory through glass and texture. On view through the end of July.

Ferenike by Doina Ruști
2026-06-06 10:00 - 11:30
Books from Homeland
Our next read for the book club is Ferenike by acclaimed novelist Doina Ruști, who will join our virtual discussion!
Signed copies of the Ferenike (in Romanian) are available for purchase. Scroll down to get yours!
About the bookFerenike is a confessional, autobiographical novel built on the idea that no choice is entirely subjective. There exists a demon of grand History — a force that, for Eastern Europe, has always been a subtle architect of both individual and collective decisions. In the essential reality, every choice is orchestrated.
Having as a starting point a childhood event, the novel gradually outlines experiences related to our present. Every insignificant deed has consequences, generates other events and a new perspective of the past. This premise leads to a gripping and powerful story about the discreet role that any individual has in the metamorphoses of great history.
An autobiographical novel, Ferenike is also an experiment researching confession, from its mystical to histrionic or manipulative areas, with the stated intention of reminding the world that, beyond intention, there’s always the force of the storyteller.
Please RSVP below to receive the zoom link.
Doina RuștiDoina Ruști is „a writer of the first rank in today’s literature", in the words of Nicolae Breban , and „a writer of great talent and intuition”, as Norman Manea has described her, distinguished by a powerful and vibrant style. Her novels and short stories have received major awards, been translated into several languages, and are studied in schools, enjoying wide critical recognition. Her work is marked by the blending of the fantastic with stark social realism. Her landmark novel is The Ghost in the Mill (2008), a powerful fiction about Romanian communism, included in the post-communist neo-Gothic both in J. A. Weinstock’s Routledge encyclopediaand in Studies in Gothic Fiction (Zittaw Press). Thematically complementary, Ferenike (Humanitas, 2025) is her most personal novel, a political and autobiographical fiction about memory, guilt, and feminine resistance. Equally acclaimed is Lizoanca at Eleven (2009), a novel about child prostitution, whose style was compared by Western critics to Camus’s The Plague (Il Libero), and which has been included in several European academic programs, among them the Doctoral School of the University of Barcelona. The Phanariot Trilogy—The Phanariot Manuscript, The Book of Perilous Dishes (Mâța Vinerii), and Homeric—has enjoyed wide popularity. These novels explore the 18th-century Balkan imagination in an original, fabulatory mode that reinterprets history. Mircea Muthu devoted a chapter to her work in his volume Romanian Literary Balkanism. Among these, The Book of Perilous Dishes is the most widely translated, published in English in London (2022), recommended by EUFestival and featured by the Historical Novel Society. Her distinctions include the Writers’ Union Prize (Bucharest Association, 2007), the Romanian Writers’ Union Prize for Prose (2008), the Ion Creangă Prize of the Romanian Academy (2009), and the Hungarian Writers’ Prize (Budapest, 2018) for Best Translated Book. Website: www.doinarusti.ro

📌 June 6 at 10amvirtual discussion with author Doina Ruști
Please RSVP below to receive zoom link.
About the author

Beginning Romanian 1 (Adults) - Summer Course
2026-06-22 17:00 - 2026-08-24 17:00 | Online

Sun-kissed: A Photography Group Exhibition
2026-09-07 - 2026-12-07 | Private: Gallery 4500, 4500 9th Ave NE, Ste 300, Seattle, WA, 98105
How does the summer light feel? Is it golden and nostalgic? Is it blindingly bright? Does it linger on sticky fingers after a melted ice cream? As you soak in the beauty, energy and memories along the way this season, let your photographs speak what words cannot.
ARCS is delighted to invite local and national photographers to participate in a group exhibition, celebrating the joy of capturing sun-kissed moments! This is the first in our new series, Through your Eyes.
Start getting inspired, but let photography be part of the journey, not the destination. Come back in August and submit up to 3 images you feel are honest representations of the many layers of summer.
We will print the images for a group show at Gallery 4500 in Seattle and each one will be made available for purchase. A portion of the proceeds will go to the photographers. More details to come when registration opens.
All work must be created by the person submitting. Due to copyright considerations no AI work is permitted.
Dates:
August 1-20: Submissions openSeptember 7: The photography exhibition starts at 4500 GallerySeptember 12: Opening reception
Registration:Each participant can submit up to 3 digital photographs to be featured in our group show at Gallery 4500 in Seattle. We will print them on premium photographic paper and each one will be made available for purchase.
When submitting work, participants will choose whether they want their photograph(s) to be printed as 8x10" or 11x14" images.$15 for an 8x10" print and $25 for an 11x14" print. After submissions open on August 1st, please register at the link provided and then send your image(s) to submissions@arcsproject.orgRegistration payment must be made before submitting images.
Upcoming photo walks for teensWe are happy to offer opportunities for teens interested in photography to create images for the group exhibition and/or to submit to ARCS Journal! Participation in a local outing is not required to register for the group show in the fall, however it is required to submit to ARCS Journal as part of a local showcase. Please RSVP below.
June 27, 6:30-8:30pm at the Botanical Garden in Bellevue, WAJuly 10, 6:30-8:30pm at Juanita Bay Park in Kirkland, WA
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June 27 teen photo walk RSVP

July 10 teen photo walk RSVP
