Cambodian Living Arts

Founded in 1998 by genocide survivor Arn Chorn-Pond, Cambodian Living Arts (CLA) is a grassroots organisation that initially aimedwith the aim to preserve traditional performing arts. An estimated 90% of Cambodian artists did not survive the Khmer Rouge regime. Among those who survived were master artists who were often the last practitioners of their art forms. CLA worked with them to pass their knowledge and skills to younger generations.

CLA believes the arts are at the heart of a vital society. It envisions the arts and cultural expression as essential to a thriving future for Cambodia. CLA's mission is to be a driving force in a vibrant arts sector, inspiring new generations. 

As the Cambodian arts sector has grown stronger, CLA has shifted its focus from reviving and passing on traditional arts forms towards  helping artists earn a living through their work. CLA sees itself as a catalyst for the arts sector, supporting an environment where artists can express themselves and engage with society and together create positive impacts for Cambodia.

CLA takes a two pronged approach to achieving its goals. First, CLA is working with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MOEYS) to develop new curricula for school arts education and teacher training. It also provides teacher training, and works with arts education providers to raise policy agendas and recommendations with the government. Second, it is trialling a model of Culture and Arts Cluster Centres across Cambodia.

The centres offer arts and cultural education to schools and communities while giving educators a place to experiment with new ways of teaching. Rei Foundation has provided funding for this second area of work, which is in keeping with our commitment to partner with projects intended to have long-term sustainable impact and will expand opportunities for Cambodians.

The Culture and Arts Cluster Centres were piloted at Sisowath High School in Phnom Penh and at a second centre serving two schools in Sisophon (between Battambang and Siem Reap). These centres serve as meeting places for arts clubs, which students can join voluntarily, and have hosted regular arts events for their young members, including artist talks and exhibitions, film screenings, Cambodian classical dance and drama performances.SmallWorld SmallBand, a local band that performs its own original songs, has also performed at the Centres.

Through these Cluster Centres, CLA is bringing a world of arts and culture to young people in Cambodia, and expanding their ideas of what careers and hobbies are open to them, from traditional crafts to cinema and music. The centres are part of CLA's wider efforts to support a new generation of Cambodian artists and encourage more young people to take part in the country's cultural life.