The Water Festival in Battambang: Phare Ponleu Selpak’s role in cultural revitalization

by Clémence DEVILLE | Oct 14, 2024

At the heart of Khmer mythology there is a fascinating legend: the union between the Indian prince Kaundinya and the Naga princess Soma. Thousands of years ago, Cambodia was an island occupied by the Naga, half-human, half-serpent creatures, venerated as the...

Meet the Volunteers of Phare Ponleu Selpak: Soree KIM, Communications & Marketing Intern [Video]

by Eliot Witherspoon | May 16, 2024

This past academic year, Phare Ponleu Selpak received two student volunteers from the United States. They have spent around 7 months at Phare and will be leaving soon to start their first year of university. As a farewell, we asked a few questions about their...

Celebrating 30 Years of Phare Ponleu Selpak: A Weekend of Festivities in Phnom Penh

by Bryce MERKL SASAKI | Feb 8, 2024

You are cordially invited to join us for Phare Ponleu Selpak’s 30th anniversary celebrations in Phnom Penh 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...

Battambang Water Festival: What It Is & How to Celebrate

by CHAN Rattanakoudom | Nov 8, 2023

If you’re ever traveling to Battambang in October, you might hear people talking about the water festival – or you might find yourself caught in the middle of it unknowingly if you’re down by the Sangker River and surrounded by racing boats and cheering crowds. ...

Arts Integration in Early Education: How We Trained Battambang Public Schools’ Kindergarten Teachers

by ppsa | Jan 2, 2023

Through a series of workshops in the fall, we’ve focused intensely on training Battambang’s public school kindergarten teachers on integrating arts in the education of young children.  The first workshop took place back in September, where we hosted kindergarten...

Sbek Thom: Bringing an Ancient Khmer Art Form Back to Life (Part 1)

by ppsa | Oct 19, 2016

The lights dim and the room falls silent. A soft light issues from behind a white screen as the drums begin to play. Suddenly, shapes appear dancing across the screen. A narrator’s voice emerges telling a tale of a monkey, Hanuman, trying to rescue his wife, Sita. If...