Help Young Cambodian Artists Start Their Career

Learning from the arts community is a great way for artists to improve their skills, learn about other art forms and projects, and to build networks. Over the past months, our scholarship students did just that, integrating further into the arts sector in Cambodia and across Asia by joining workshops, performing at different events and taking every chance to present their skills and learn more about the arts.

Workshops are a great way for scholars to challenge themselves and expand their personal and professional capacity. Each month we held an enrichment workshop for the students and at the same time encouraged them to participate in as many other workshops and arts activities around Phnom Penh as they could.

In October, the scholarship students were provided with a workshop on the topic “Who Am I?” through our enrichment program. Meanwhile three scholars took advantage of a workshop conducted by Room to Read, an NGO in Phnom Penh, and learned how to illustrate children’s picture books.

November was an even busier month! “Values, Vision and Mission” was the topic of the monthly enrichment program. The workshop taught our scholars how to shape their personal identity through strong and consistent values and how to identify and follow their personal mission. Gaining some international experience, some of our scholars joined the very exciting Dream Project, an exchange program which brought six arts teachers from Korea to Cambodia in order to teach Korean Traditional Dance to our students as well as sharing Khmer Traditional Dance back to the Korean teachers. Rounding out the month, our scholars visited a contemporary dance performance at the Ministry’s Department of Performing Arts and took part in the Chaktomuk Short Film Festival.

In December, the scholars kept staying very active and did a lot to learn more about arts. They attended a comic book workshop at the Institut français du Cambodge, visited Phnom Penh’s International Film Festival at the Chaktomuk Theater, took in the 4^th Cambodian Book Fare at the National Library, and participated in the Youth Cultural Innovator Presentation held by the organization Sa Sa Bassac. “Personal Planning and Goal Setting” was the topic of the last 2015 enrichment workshop in December and rounded out a great quarter of reflection and exploration.

Our scholars also had some groundbreaking performances and presentations this quarter and we are very proud of their achievements. In October, our scholar Chanrith performed at an event for the Orphan Association who were so pleased with his work, they gave him a gratitude letter for his artistic contributions. In November, several of our scholars travelled internationally to perform at the Gusi Peace Award presentation ceremony in the Philippines as part of the Amrita Performing Arts dance troupe. Our scholars were also actively involved in the organization of the ASEAN puppet show and a performance in the 3rd memorial concert for Cambodia’s former King Sihanouk, both at Phnom Penh’s Chaktomuk Theater. In December, two short stories by scholar Makara were published on Sabay New Online. Huyno, our talented painting scholar, got the first prize for his work visualizing the topic “Prevent driving under alcohol”. At the German cultural center Meta House in Phnom Penh, Chanrith presented his self-created performance featuring traditional, classical and contemporary dance.

A final highlight from the quarter to share was the joint event of Krom Monster, a Cambodian-American music troupe, the Cambodian troupe Community of Living Chapei and our scholarship dancing students. All three troupes performed different, unique performances under the topic “Youth, Arts, Creativity” at the National Museum on our stage in Phnom Penh. The scholars who are not dancers provided administrational support.

Our scholarship students made a great step forward in their personal and professional development during the busy last months of 2015. With the support of you, our Global Giving donors, we expect to see this growth and expression continuing in 2016.