The idea for Phare began in 1986 when French humanitarian Véronique Decrop worked as a drawing teacher in the Site 2 Refugee Camp in Thailand. Her young students learned how to use the arts as a tool for healing their traumas of the Khmer Rouge regime and the resulting Civil War.
Now, three decades later, Phare is having more impact on Battambang, Cambodia, and the world than ever before. We never would have accomplished so much without the help of so many volunteers, partners, neighbors, organizations, donors, and businesses over the past 30 years – THANK YOU!
With that gratitude in mind, Phare will commemorate our 30th anniversary with a year-long series of celebrations, galas, art festivals, and more. We want to spend 2024 celebrating the past 30 years – while also looking forward to what the next 30 years have in store.
So, what’s planned for the year ahead? Let’s dive in.
First, Our Big Goal for 2024
To help launch Phare Ponleu into 30 more years of success, we’ve set the ambitious target to raise $900,000 USD during 2024 ($30,000 x 30 years). I believe that if all of us in the Phare community pull together, this goal is not only achievable – but it can be vastly exceeded.
This includes $300,000 to support our annual operating costs and a $600,000 capital campaign to fund a new Campus Commons which will include a library, canteen, collaborative spaces, arts café, exhibition gallery, and shared workspaces.
So far (as of May 23), we’ve raised $80,000 – or 9% – toward this goal.
Make a recurring or one-time contribution via our Donate page here if you’d like to help us continue changing lives through the arts over the next 30 years.
Now, back to our plans for the year ahead.
January: The Sangker River Run
Graphic credit: Juliette DELORON
The 30-kilometer run/cycle event included a solo run, a solo cycle, and a relay run of 10 km each. The route began at the foot of Phnom Banan, home to an 11th-century Angkorian temple, and continued along the scenic Sangker River through the heart of Battambang, ending at the Phare Ponleu Selpak campus.
Photo credits: PHON Kaevkynaga
Click here to see all of the official race photos from the Sangker River Run!
Given the success of the inaugural event, Phare Ponleu Selpak and Battambang Provincial Hall have decided to make it an annual charity event, rebranded as the Sangker River Marathon. We can’t wait to see you again next year!
March: A Weekend of Festivities in Phnom Penh
For those in or near Phnom Penh, you are cordially invited to join us for Phare Ponleu Selpak’s 30th anniversary celebrations from 1-3 March 2024.
In addition to our annual charity gala – graciously hosted by Rosewood Phnom Penh – we are proud to co-produce and co-present two new contemporary dance and theatre performances in collaboration with world-renowned performing artists.
1 & 2 March, Madison Now
Photo credit: Oyen Rodriguez
Book tickets and get more information about the Madison Now here.
2 March, 30th Anniversary Charity Gala
Come celebrate 30 years of Phare Ponleu Selpak at this cocktail reception followed by a four-course dinner hosted by Rosewood Phnom Penh.
Reserve your tickets and get more information about the 30th Anniversary Charity Gala here.
3 March, END OF LOVE (CABARET)
At Bar Menaka, the audience will attend an hour-long prologue of the full-length performance, the final version of which will be presented during the 12th edition of the Tini Tinou International Circus Festival in Battambang in November 2024. (Read more about Tini Tinou below!) This might be the first cabaret-style dinning theatre presented in Cambodia, pushing the boundaries for new ways of enjoying arts and culture, in a country that still has a long way to go in building a sustainable audience for performing arts.
Reserve your tickets and get more information about THE END OF LOVE (CABARET) here.
November: Tini Tinou International Circus Festival
This year, Phare Ponleu Selpak will host the 12th edition of the Tini Tinou International Circus Festival in Battambang from 22-27 November 2024. Prepare yourselves: We plan to make this the biggest, boldest, and brightest edition of Tini Tinou yet!
Photo credits: Steffano Morrone
Photo credits: Steffano Morrone
The Cirus Parade through the historic town of Battambang is not to be missed. Participants will be treated to a spectacle extraordinaire with artist Oliver Zimmerman traversing the Sangker River on a wire rope. We’re also throwing a 30-Year Birthday Bash party complete with food and drink for everyone in the local community and with Phare friends and family from all around the world. If you’re in the neighborhood, come join us!
Sign up for our newsletter for further updates, and stay tuned for more announcements coming soon.
Late November: Rock ‘n Cirque Celebration at the French Embassy in Phnom Penh
Ending the year with a bang will be a very special event organized by the French Embassy – Ambassade de France – in Phnom Penh on 30th November 2024.
The French ambassador, His Excellency Jacques Pellet, and French Minister of Culture, Madame Rachida Dati, will host Rock ‘n Cirque, a 30th anniversary celebration for Phare Ponleu Selpak, on the embassy grounds. Cambodian dignitaries and other government officials will also be in attendance.
Photo credits: Olivia AUDO & CHIERN Piseth Samphallyka
Rock ‘n Cirque will also commemorate and acknowledge the many connections between Phare Ponleu Selpak and France, including the pioneering work of Véronique Decrop, the fundraising efforts of Phare Ponleu Selpak France association, the long-term partnership on projects with AFD – Agence Française de Développement – and the hundreds of other donations, contributions, partnerships, and volunteer service from French organizations and the people of France.
All in all, the soiree will be a fitting end to a year full of art festivals and celebrations and will include art displays, live music, circus performances, and of course, plenty of food for everyone.
Invitations and more details will be sent out soon.
Come Join the Party!
We hope you’ll join us for one of the many exciting events happening this year as we celebrate all of the many accomplishments of the Phare Ponleu Selpak community and network over the past 30 years. There’s a lot to celebrate!
We also hope that you’ll join us in launching Phare Ponleu Selpak into the next 30 years as we strive towards our year-long $900,000 fundraising goal. Contribute today if you’d like to be a part of changing lives through the arts.
There’s always a lot going on at Phare Ponleu Selpak: Sign up for our (mostly) monthly newsletter and stay up to date with everything happening during our special anniversary year!
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