“The term curator is quite new to me. Among my fellow classical dancers, we didn’t know about that before. We thought curator only applies to the visual artists and those who curate the photo galleries or paintings exhibitions. And curatorial concept hasn’t been common with performing art practitioners in Cambodia.” Serei Vankosoan, CLA Curatorial Fellow…

The Khmer Magic Music Bus has the mission to take traditional music to villages all around in Cambodia, especially in rural areas where performing arts are often hard to find. The KMMB began as an independent project started by our founder Arn CHORN-POND and friend Steve RIEGE in 2012. They had watched Master Mon Hai…

In December 2021, CLA Executive Director Phloeun PRIM sat down with CLA supporter Dana White for a recorded conversation during a recent trip to the US. Dana reflected on his longtime involvement with CLA and why his experience in Cambodia—spanning five trips that date as far back as 2004—has been so meaningful. Below are excerpts…

Dear Friends, In the first decade of the 2000s, arts development in Cambodia meant preservation. There was a fear that in the wake of Khmer Rouge control of Cambodia, which saw 90% of the country’s artists perish, Cambodian arts and culture were at risk of being lost forever. My dear brother Arn Chorn-Pond, our founder,…

Celebrating 16 Years since the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural  Expressions At the heart of Cambodian Living Arts work, we share the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural  Expressions 2005 commitment to diversity of cultural expression as fundamental to vital societies. October…

CLA’s and MCH’s shared memories of Margaret Shiu The passing of Margaret Shiu, founder of Bamboo Curtain Studio (BCS), one of the most respected cultural figures in Taiwan, on August 30th is a great loss to the Southeast Asian and Asian art community. Like many regional arts and cultural organizations that have had contact with…

About Artists in Bloom: Portraits of 10 Living Arts Scholars Cambodian Living Arts commissioned an inspiring new art exhibition, “Artists In Bloom: Portraits of 10 Living Arts Scholars” On display from September 10 to 25, this compelling 26-piece photographic journey features portraits of 10 alumni of CLA’s Arn Chorn-Pond Living Arts Scholarship program, in honor…

CHAM CULTURAL ADVOCATE AND EXPERT, LEB KE, USES CAMBODIAN LIVING ARTS DAM DOS GRANT TO MAKE RARE CHAM POETRY AVAILABLE TO NATIONAL AUDIENCE Every year Cambodian Living Arts awards Dam Dos Grants to 5-8 artists, arts leaders and cultural practitioners. These awards fund a wide range of arts and culture projects that invigorate a vibrant…

RY “FIA” MONISOVANYA IS A MULTI-MEDIA ARTIST AND DESIGNER USING THE ARTS TO CHAMPION WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND ENVRIONMENTALISM Arn Chorn-Pond Living Arts Scholar, RY “Fia” MoniSovanya, wears many hats. She’s a painter, performance artist and graphic designer who fundamentally believes the arts are a tool for social change.  As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Arn…

We move forward like the branches that grow bigger and longer, yet we never forget where we are from. – NGET Rady, dancer and choreographer, Root Rady shared the reflection above with Dr. Amanda ROGERS and YEAN Reaksmey for their new research, “Creative Expression and Contemporary Arts Making Among Young Cambodians,” while discussing his new…