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Cultural Delegations
EXPERIENCE CAMBODIA’S TRANSFORMATION
OF A NATION THROUGH THE ARTS
10 DAYS / 9 NIGHTS, SIEM REAP – BATTAMBANG – PHNOM PENH
Dates of Upcoming Cultural Delegations
10 th-19th January 2016, 01 st -10 th August 2016
09 th -18th January 2017, 05 th-14 th August 2017
Dates are subject to change
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Cultural Delegations
AN INVITATION
Dear Friend,
On behalf of Cambodian Living Arts (CLA), I invite you on a remarkable nine day journey
through the Kingdom of Cambodia. Our Cultural Delegations are a unique blend of
tourism and deeper immersion into the arts and culture of this unique country.
With over 15 years of experience, CLA has become one of the leading arts and cultural
institutions in the country. What began as a program initially supporting four Master
Artists has grown into a program supporting more than 20 independent classes and
performance troupes, with a thousand students and artists throughout the country.
CLA is excited to showcase their talents to you while creating a holistic overview of our
work as it relates to the greater arts community both here in Cambodia and internationally.
Our Cultural Delegations offer opportunities to engage with our artists, students and arts
partners working to keep Cambodia’s traditions alive. Through these intimate experiences
you will have a chance to understand the values and aspirations of Cambodian artists,
the obstacles they face, and the role of culture in the country’s transformation.
Come and discover the impressive talents of this post-conflict nation and the role you
can play as an agent of change in helping to develop, sustain and grow the arts sector.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Encounter the Kingdom of Culture
Our Itinerary
Phloeun Prim
Executive Director
Cambodian Living Arts
Our itineraries offer truly unique and high-quality arts and travel experiences while including
the major highlights across Siem Reap, Battambang and Phnom Penh, with some wonderful
surprises along the way. Additionally, we allow for several opportunities for free time so you
can explore independently, and our Exotissimo guide will be on stand-by to assist you to make
arrangements if you wish. We work incredibly closely with all of artists and partners to ensure
we provide you with the best possible experience, and to achieve this, the itineraries allow a little
flexibility as new opportunities present themselves closer to your arrival dates.
The following itinerary covers the likely activities and a more detailed daily itinerary will be
provided during the month prior your arrival.
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SIEM REAP
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SIEM REAP
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Angkor Wat
A must see for any visitor, Angkor Wat is
surrounded by a moat and crowned by five
lotus-like towers rising from ground level.
The walls of the temples are adorned with
bas-reliefs and carvings, depicting stories
and characters from Hindu mythology and
representing some of the finest Angkorian
era art. Beautiful at any time of the day,
but especially at sunset.
DAYS 1 - 4
SIEM REAP
BATTAMBANG
SIEM REAP
ANGKOR
PHNOM PENH
〉 Bayon
The smiling faces of this temple have
been dubbed by some as the “Mona Lisa”
of Southeast Asia. The temple is located
at the center of the temple complex and
represents the intersection of heaven and
earth.
With its close proximity to Angkor Wat, Siem Reap has become a premier travel
destination with something for everyone. Here you will have the opportunity to:
DISCOVER
ANGKOR’S SECRETS
Explore the immense temple complex of
Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This opportunity to travel back in time to the
Khmer Empire serves as a great introduction
to a number of Khmer artistic masterpieces set
in stone and brick from the 9th to 14th centuries. You will visit the temples with a wonderfully experienced and charismatic guide, and
typically visit the following temples:
〉 Ta Prohm
This temple has been relatively untouched in
an effort to preserve rather than restore. The
beauty of Ta Prohm is a result of the elements,
massive tress taking root on and around the
ancient structures.
CULTURAL DELEGATIONS An invitation
THE CLA CONNECTION
French music historian, Patrick Kersalé, has
spent over 20 years in Asia, studying surviving
traditional music and investigating musical ins
truments from the Angkorian world. Based
on that research, Kersale has been able to
rebuild extinct Angkorian instruments from
he 7th and 13th centuries and several kinds
of Pin (harp), monochord zithers, cymbals,
drums, long and short trumpets, and conches
have literally been brought back to life! You
will hear them performed by the CLA-founded
troupe, Sounds of Angkor, led by Master
Mann Men.
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DIVERSE PERFORMANCES
& EXPERIENCES
〉 Phare,
the Cambodian Circus
An amazing blend of traditional and modern
theatre, music, dance, acrobatics, juggling
and contortion beautifully choreographed
and telling poignant and charming tales
for Cambodia, all under a Big Top. All performers are trained at Phare Ponleu Selpak,
an association providing arts education in
Battambang.
CLA has initiated a number of classes operating in and around Siem Reap. Additionally
many of the artists and arts organizations
we work with are located here.
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Wat Bo Shadow
Puppets
The art of large shadow puppets is one
of the country’s oldest traditions, likely to
have developed during the pre-Angkorian
period. These large puppets are made of
cow leather that is carefully cut by hand
to make different shapes, creating not just
characters but at times an entire scene from
a story. All of the stories told by the large
shadow puppet art form are excerpts from
the Reamker (Cambodian version of the
Ramayana epic.)
GET TO KNOW THE ARTISTS WE WORK WITH
Kantaoming (kong skor)
While in Siem Reap there will be opportunities to meet with artists before
or after performances or in the privacy of their homes and work spaces.
The following are some artists living and working in the area.
VISUAL ARTS HIGHLIGHT
Kantaoming, believed to date back to the
time of the Buddha and one of Cambodia’s
rarest art forms, is played for funerals and
features gongs, drums and a unique Khmer
reed instrument called the srolai. The music
is meant to sound like a lullaby for the end
of life, to guide the spirit of the dead back
to its homeland for rebirth.
LEANG SECKON
Sounds of Angkor
20 artists from Master Man Menn’s ensemble
showcase instruments discovered on the
Angkorian bas-relief by ethnomusicologist
Patrick Kersalé. Imagine the temple walls
coming to life as the troupe take you
through a journey from the 8th century to
present day classical Cambodian music.
CULTURAL DELEGATIONS An invitation
SIEM REAP
SIEM REAP
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One of Cambodia’s foremost contemporary
artists, his work is autobiographical, having
grown up under the Khmer Rouge. In 2013,
Seckon participated in Season of Cambodia,
a festival initiated by CLA that featured over
125 Cambodian performing and visual artists
in New York.
LIM MUY THEAM
Theam owns and operates Theam’s House, his
personal home turned art gallery and working
space dedicated to the creation and showcasing
of Cambodian arts and crafts.
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BATTAMBANG
BATTAMBANG
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DAYS 5 - 7
SIEM REAP-ANGKOR
BATTAMBANG
BATTAMBANG
PHNOM PENH
A sprawling town, it’s hard to believe that Battambang is the second largest city in
Cambodia. With its unique character and countryside charms, you can find different
phases of its history reflected in its architecture with New Khmer, French-Classical and traditional
Khmer homes and buildings along either side of the river.
Battambang is also Cambodia’s visual arts and circus hub!
We will journey from Siem Reap to Battambang
with CLA’s founder, Arn Chorn-Pond, on his
Khmer Magic Music Bus, a transport experience
like no other! On the way, you will have the
chance to chat with Arn and his “family of
artists”, and hear their stories and enjoy their
community performances. We will jump back
on the bus to travel from Battambang to
Phnom Penh.
Arn, a musician and internationally recognized human
rights leader, speaker and
trainer, was born in Battambang, and spent the early
years of his life in the city
before the Khmer Rouge regime forced him
into a child labor camp. During our stay in
Battambang, he will draw on some of his
memories of the town.
You will also be guided down “Art Street” by a resident artist and visit many of the galleries
that call the city home thanks to Phare Ponleu Selpak, an association providing arts
education. Fortunately Battambang now has ATMs where you can withdraw cash in case you wish
to purchase a piece of art.
CULTURAL DELEGATIONS An invitation
READ & CONNECT
A National Book Award Finalist, Never
Fall Down tells the story of Arn who as a
child survived the Killing Fields by playing
music for the Khmer Rouge – music he
learnt from Master Yoeun Mek.
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PHNOM PENH
PHNOM PENH
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DAYS 6 - 10
PHNOM PENH
SIEM REAP-ANGKOR
BATTAMBANG
PHNOM
PENH
As the cultural, commercial and political center of the country, Phnom Penh has a lot to offer
across history and cultural sites. It’s also the home to CLA’s head office and much of the team.
〉 The
Killing Fields
(Choeung Ek)
Choeung Ek is now the resting home to the
thousands of people who lost their lives
under the rule of the Khmer Rouge. A visit to
the memorial grounds includes an excellent
audio tour available in several languages. We
will also be accompanied by a traditional Smot
chanter who will perform at the stupor that
forms part of the grounds to help us reflect on
the experience.
Dr Him Sophy wrote Memory from Darkness
in 1990, inspired by his own life and the
atrocities he witnessed during the Khmer
Rouge era. In 2014 CLA recorded and produced the album Memory from Darkness.
This major work can also be heard as part of
the audio tour at the Killing Fields.
CULTURAL DELEGATIONS An invitation
DIVERSE PERFORMANCES & EXPERIENCES
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THE CLA
CONNECTION
Plae Pakaa
Plae Pakaa (translated as “fruitful”), is a CLA
original production featured exclusively at
the National Museum of Phnom Penh. The
production features three dynamic and unique
performances each taking you on a journey
through Cambodian music, theater and dance.
What TripAdvisor
has to say about Plae
Pakaa - Reviewed 2014
“ The show was absolutely fantastical!
Definitely one of the highlights of our trip
to Cambodia! ”
PHNOM PENH
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White Building
PHNOM PENH
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The iconic White Building located in the Tonle Bassac area is one of the
few remaining old buildings not yet transformed or destroyed by the
recent wave of urban development. Built in 1963 and often associated
with poverty, the White Building is home to, among others, a vibrant
community of artists, cultural workers, civil servants, and street vendors.
THE CLA
CONNECTION
In 2003, CLA started supporting a classical
and folk dance class in the White Building.
This class has since on to become the
Children of Bassac troupe, who present
an array of colorful dances from Khmer
and different ethnic minorities that reside
in Cambodia. The troupe now regularly
perform as part of Plae Pakaa.
CULTURAL DELEGATIONS An invitation
RIVERSIDE RETREAT
& REFLECTION
As we near the end of our journey the group
will come together with CLA partners and
the next generation of arts Masters and
national leaders, highlighting the hope of
the country through its vivacious arts scene
and arts practitioners will come together, at
the beautiful, riverside home of our Board
President, with CLA partners….
TRADITIONAL ART
HIGHLIGHT
Smot is a chanted form of poetry that tells
stories about the life of Buddha and teaches
religious principles. It is performed by a
soloist and is usually sung at funerals. Smot
can be challenging to learn because the
melodies and vocal style are quite different
from modern songs. During your time in
Phnom Penh, you are likely to meet one of
the stars from our Arn Chorn-Pond Living
Arts Scholarship Program and gifted Smot
chanter, Phoeun Srey Pov.
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The Finer Details
Living Cuisine
Our Cultural Delegations will allow you to sample authentic Cambodian cuisine made with
local produce and flavors. Communal meals will take place at some of Cambodia’s finest
restaurants or in the private homes of our artists and friends with high-quality caterers.
We endeavor to provide you with the most delicious meals while also creating an exclusive yet
unique family style environment.
CULTURAL DELEGATIONS An invitation
CLA Team
Exotissimo
During our Cultural Delegations, you will have
the opportunity to meet with many of the
CLA team including our Executive Director,
Co-founder, Development and Creative Industries Teams as well as our some of our Board
of Directors. We are all experienced in hosting
these trips and connecting you with mindful
and engaging experiences.
We have partners with premiere travel and
tourism provider, Exotissimo, to manage all
of our hotel bookings and on-ground logistics
to ensure we can offer you the best value and
experience. Exotissimo’s local guides have
significant experience and meet with CLA staff
before leading trips to understand our special
itineraries.
The Group
Child Protection
Our Cultural Delegations attract a range of
individuals from around the world. Most are
interested in the arts and gaining an understanding
of the role culture can play in international
development. We welcome families with
teenage children, while younger families are
encouraged to take one of our Cultural
Encounters - Family Focus trips. We do our best
to connect guests before the trip to help ensure
strong and positive dynamics on the journey.
Cambodia is a developing country with many
vulnerable children. For this reason, we take
child protection exceptionally seriously. Our
hotels are all endorsed by Friends International
Child Safe an d we encourage responsible
photography when we visit classes with children,
asking that you take group photos as a group
once the lessons are over to avoid interrupting
students’ focus. We do not include orphanage
visits in our itineraries. For further information
on child protection in Cambodia, please visit
www.friends-international.org
THE FINER DETAILS
THE FINER DETAILS
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Costs
$2950 per person for your trip costs + A minimum donation of $1000 to Cambodian Living
Arts (Minimum donation of $1500 for a couple)
What is included?
Exclusions
• Accommodation at some of Cambodia’s
best hotels, chosen for their unique & artistic
style
• Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner when the group
is together
• All group activities
• Entrance tickets – Angkor Wat Temple
Complex, Phare Cambodian Circus, Plae
Pakaa, Wat Bo Shadow Puppets
• Guide Fees
• Visas for entrance into Cambodia
• Medical Vaccinations
• Tips for guides
• International and Domestic Flights
• Camera/video entrance fees
• Personal expenses (drinks, laundry, tips etc)
• Travel insurance
Cultural Delegations
AN INVITATION
CONTACT US
For more information please email us at [email protected] or call us on
(855) 23 986 032 (Cambodian telephone number).
MORE ABOUT CAMBODIAN LIVING ARTS
Cultural Delegations are organized by Cambodian Living Arts. Our vision is to facilitate the
transformation of Cambodia through the arts. We do this by building the capacity of artists and the
arts community and by promoting awareness of the arts. We believe that through creativity we can
each expand our potential as human beings.
We also offer trips for families and school groups, please contact us for more
information.
© Photo Credits: Marion Gommard, Lakhesis/dreamstime.com, Anders Jiras, JF Mousseau,
Patrick Kersalé, Melissa Im, Chean Long, George Nickels, Pipop Boosarakumwadi/dreamstime.com,
Dennis Drenner, Peter Phoeng, Kim Hak, James Anthrobus CC By 2.0, Sodanny Chea CC By 2.0,
Sam Garza CC By 2.0, Ros Sarith, EricFabernyc CC By 2.0
Season of Cambodia, Aga Cebula, Charley Todd