lights go up on art street
Phnom Penh Post, Issue 15 / 06, March 24 - April 6, 2006
By Phatry Derek Pan
Artists and students evicted from their homes and studios in the dilapidated community of Tonle Bassac received encouraging news on March 19 as Cambodian Living Arts (CLA) celebrated the inauguration of a new artist community tentatively called "Art Street."
Approximately 150 supporters - from enthusiastic students wearing flashy traditional Cambodian outfits to dignified master artists - gathered at the new three-story, mustard-yellow building tucked in a small alley off Sothearos Boulevard south of the National Assembly.
"Today marks a happy ending for our students and master musicians," said Charley Todd, senior project adviser and co-president of the board of directors. He said that for months the group has been effectively homeless and struggling to find funding for a new center.
Since 2001, CLA has operated in cramped facilities used as classrooms for dance, theater and music rehearsals. The new place has four times the space of the old, and comes equipped with a resource center filled with books and computers and a state-of-the-art sound and video studio.
CLA's manpower has grown as well. The non-profit group now employs six full-time staff, and has 40 musicians and 250 students who receive monthly stipends for school and supplies.
"I'm proud to be at the grand opening of CLA," said Silong Chhun, 27, a visiting Khmer-American artist from Seattle and music producer of Long Beach-based Mujestic Records. "This is a symbol of progression and new hope for Cambodian arts."
The initial two years of operation for the new center was secured through donors in Canada and England, but challenges loom in the distance. According to Todd, CLA hopes Art Street will become an arts community of residences, galleries and performance areas.
CLA was founded in 1998 by Khmer-American Arn Chorn-Pond to preserve traditional Cambodian arts.
That is a great news, isn't it? Thank for forwarding the news with me. I am looking forward to go to art galleries and see the traditional performance when I go back. Sounds like Phnom Penh has more and more place to entertain. At the same time, traditional khmer art will be presevered. To me, I think Those place is one of good places to attract tourist.
Thank.
Lina (Comment this)
Thanks for the article. It's nice to hear stories of Cambodia. It makes it seem like Cambodia is not on the other side of the globe. I would like to go back to Cambodia after I'm done with law school in May 2007. I wonder at times where I can best assist Cambodia in moving forward. There are two communities that I struggle to make whole again. I have the cambodian american community here in the states and the larger issues of equality with other people of color joined with my need and desire to go back home to Cambodia. I wonder though if I would be welcomed at times. Anyways, just in class and decided to day dream about Cambodia a bit.
Sotivear Sim (Comment this)