by CHIERN Piseth Samphallyka | May 9, 2024
It is always a joy to get to interview Vanthan, the music alumni from the Performing Arts School of Phare Ponleu Selpak Vanthan is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, record producer, and instrumentalist. The well-known singer of “Khmer Gentleman” at Baramey...
by CHIERN Piseth Samphallyka | Apr 24, 2024
Every year in mid-April, Cambodians celebrate the traditional holiday known as Khmer New Year – or Songkran – over the course of three festive days. The holiday is rooted in Buddhist traditions and is an important time for Cambodians to get back together with their...
by CHIERN Piseth Samphallyka | Jan 5, 2024
When you think of Cambodia, it’s easy to think about its amazing temples and ancient ruins – especially Angkor Wat – along with its rich cultural heritage. Khmer traditional dance is a key part of Cambodian arts and culture. In fact, the beauty and softness of...
by CHIERN Piseth Samphallyka | Oct 5, 2023
LY Vanthan – better known today as just “Vanthan” – is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, record producer, and instrumentalist. You probably know him as the musician behind “Khmer Gentleman,” but did you know that Vanthan is also a graduate of Phare Ponleu Selpak? ...
by PPS Editor | Aug 19, 2021
« I am a Cambodian national living in the U.S. since 1979, when I moved to Washington DC and joined the World Bank to work on development globally and more specifically to contribute to the socio-economic development of my homeland. Since I retired in 2013, I have...
by PPS Editor | Aug 17, 2021
After the most difficult year in our history, including the closure of our circuses with disastrous impact on funding, we have triumphed against the odds to win four gold awards at the Stevie International Business Awards (IBAs)! Phare Ponleu Selpak has just been...
by PPS Editor | Dec 28, 2020
Those who have visited our campus after fall 2019 must remember the iconic « Anapyabal » mural on our circus building, painted by the world-famous Irish urban artist FinDac. After his visit to Battambang and Phare Ponleu Selpak, he made limited edition prints of...
by PPS Editor | Oct 2, 2020
These are strange times we are living in. Behind the scenes of Phare Ponleu Selpak are slices of life stories, with their ups and downs, but mostly carrying with them the hope of brighter days to come. Listen to Phare voices, round #2! “I knew about Phare since...
by PPS Editor | Jun 14, 2020
Working in times of COVID-19 can be unsettling. Behind the scenes of Phare Ponleu Selpak, our staff and students tell us about their concerns and their strengths. ” What is happening is worse than anything I had expected. All art workshops, shows, outside...
by PPS Editor | Dec 18, 2019
Koemyean comes from Kor Koh village in Battambang Province. He is 27, he’s a fashion designer, and he teaches graphic design in our Visual and Applied Arts School (VAAS). Not so long ago, he was a student in that very same school: « I enrolled in VAAS in 2013....
by PPS Editor | Dec 17, 2019
This year marks an important year for Phare Ponleu Selpak as we are celebrating our 25th anniversary! On this special occasion we organized two fundraising galas, one gala in Cambodia and one in France. Our heartfelt thanks go out to all our supporters in Cambodia...
by PPS Editor | Nov 6, 2019
November marks the end of the European Union Aid Volunteers (EUAV) deployment after they have joined Phare team this past year. The volunteers arrived in November, January or June for a duration of six months, nine months, or one year. The 10 volunteers have offered...
by PPS Editor | Oct 25, 2019
A brand new circus show called FENCE has been launched on our Battambang campus! This new performance is the fruit of a collaboration between our Performing Arts School and the Austrian Theater Der Sprachfehler. Its authors Andreas Jaehnert and Christian Kuehne spent...
by PPS Editor | Oct 10, 2019
How did it all start? The Performing Arts School introduced dance to the curriculum at the end of 2013. The lessons began with traditional Cambodian dance and built from there. Advanced classes introduced students to modern influences. The dance program aims at...
by PPS Editor | Oct 10, 2019
Before joining Phare Ponleu Selpak, Xavier Gobin had a successful career as a dancer, collaborating with great creators such as Maurice Béjart and Jiri Kylian. However, very quickly, Gobin felt the desire to give others the same chances he had, of experiencing the...
by PPS Editor | Oct 9, 2019
Every year at Phare Ponleu Selpak, July marks the opportunity to reward the hard work of our graduates, who have been studying for up to 4 years in the Visual and Applied Arts School. We are celebrating the graduates starting a new chapter of their lives and launching...
by PPS Editor | Aug 13, 2019
In 2014, a section of the old music school fell apart, and for safety reasons the whole building had to be destroyed. Since they don’t have any dedicated space to learn and create, our young musicians find themselves forced to train and perform anywhere they can find...