Tini Tinou is back! And this year it’s going to be the biggest, boldest, and brightest edition of Tini Tinou ever!
Mark your calendars from 22nd to 30th November 2024 for this week-long circus festival extravaganza starting right here in Battambang – the arts and cultural hub of Cambodia – and ending with a very special performance and exhibition in Phnom Penh!
The 12th edition of Tini Tinou International Circus Festival is co-organized by Phare Ponleu Selpak and Phare, The Cambodian Circus, our daughter social enterprise, and we expect to host 13 circus troupes from 10 countries and engage audiences over 11,000 people.
So what’s going down at this circus art festival? Let’s dive into it.
What Is Tini Tinou International Circus Festival?
Tini Tinou – meaning “here and here” in Khmer – is a biennial circus arts festival that brings the fascinating world of circus to Cambodia to delight local and international audiences while contributing to the rich cultural and artistic heritage of Battambang.
This year is set to become the biggest-ever edition of Tini Tinou with artists and circus troupes from 10 different countries, including Japan, Singapore, South Korea, France, Germany, Laos, and Thailand. They’ll be performing on the Phare Ponleu Selpak campus and throughout the city of Battambang.
“This year’s Tini Tinou International Circus Festival will be one to remember,” said Osman KHWAJA, Executive Director of Phare Ponleu Selpak. “The festival has always been about bringing people together from around the globe to celebrate the circus arts and also to network and exchange to learn from each other. And of course, for the audience it’s always fabulous fun!”
Photo credits: Steffano Morrone
What’s Happening at Tini Tinou Circus Festival 2024
Tini Tinou has a bit of something for everyone: from dazzle-me audience members to those who want to get personally involved in the action and everyone in between.
The circus festival will include a mix of workshops, exchanges, artist talks, nightly circus shows, pop-up performances throughout Battambang, a circus street parade, and a grand finale closing concert
Nightly circus shows won’t just be under the big top but in every nook and cranny of the Phare campus, from our music school rotunda, our visual arts school courtyard, and our main campus green. Troupes from around the world will awe and amaze you from every angle every night of the week! (Catch this sneak peak of our international collaboration with a South Korean circus troupe that will be unveiled at this year’s Tini Tinou festival.)
Photo credits: Steffano Morrone
Also at the festival will be the full-length premiere of END OF LOVE (CABARET) that was previewed in Phnom Penh last February. This contemporary theatre-circus hybrid – featuring students from Phare Ponleu Selpak’s theatre, circus, and dance programs – will be a show you don’t want to miss!
Photo credit: MsY Photographie
The Cirus Parade through the historic town of Battambang is not to be missed. Participants will be also treated to a spectacle extraordinaire with artist Oliver Zimmerman traversing the Sangker River on a tight rope.
On the last day of the festival in Battambang – 27 November – we’re throwing a massive neighborhood party to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Phare Ponleu Selpak. Come join our 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!
Photo credits: Steffano Morrone
“Circus is an essential part of Khmer cultural heritage, and with Tini Tinou we’re proud to pass on the magic of circus to the next generation of Cambodian and international youth,” said KHUON Det, Co-Founder of Phare Ponleu Selpak and Director of Phare Performing Arts School. “This festival represents everything that circus has to offer: strength, teamwork, flexibility, imagination, and of course, fun. The arts are crucial in determining the soul of a country, and Tini Tinou will proudly display Cambodian circus arts for the whole world to see.”
Photo credits: Steffano Morrone
Other Activities at the 12th Edition of Tini Tinou Circus Festival
The week-long festival will also include the Annual General Meeting of Circus Asia Network (CAN). Created by Seoul Street Arts Creation Center in 2017, CAN brings together 13 circus organizations and institutions from across seven different Asia-Pacific countries for the purpose of developing contemporary circus in the region through long-term exchange and fostering programs.
Photo credits: Steffano Morrone
Phare Ponleu Selpak’s goals for the Tini Tinou International Circus Festival include establishing circus as a valuable and integral part of Cambodian arts and culture, serving as a gateway for circus troupes from Southeast Asia and other neighboring countries for the global circus market, providing a platform for circus artists to network and build their capacities, and to contribute to Battambang’s economic development as an arts and cultural tourist attraction.
How You Can Get Involved in Tini Tinou
Interested in performing at Tini Tinou? Contact Festival Organizer KHUON Chanreaksmey at [email protected] to sort out the details.
Interested in being a sponsor? Get in touch with Osman KHAWAJA at [email protected] to discuss our various sponsorship levels and options.
Want to volunteer? Volunteers make our art festivals happen! Use the contact form here to be notified once we start organizing volunteers for Tini Tinou.
Photo credit: Steffano Morrone
See You under the Big Top!
This year’s edition of Tini Tinou International Circus Festival will be one you don’t want to miss.
Not only will the festival be bigger and bolder than any previous edition we’ve put on, but it will also serve as a celebration for Phare Ponleu Selpak’s 30th anniversary. And we can’t think of any better way to commemorate 30 years of changing lives through the arts.
Don’t miss a single moment: Sign up for Phare’s ~monthly email newsletter and get regular updates about Tini Tinou and everything else happening during our special anniversary year!
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