GapArt

Volunteering in Cambodia – about the country

Cambodia is a vibrant country with an art tradition based upon Buddhist beliefs. Artists were persecuted during the Pol Pot years but today Phnom Penh and Siam Reap are thriving centres for textiles, stone carvings and fine art.

Cambodia

Cambodia is the land of beguiling smiles, orange robed monks, tranquillity, noise, festivals and organised chaos. The villages and towns outside the capital Phnom Penh have maintained their tranquillity and the majority of people work on the land, growing rice and tending their oxen. Phnom Penh is a vibrant mix of temples, bustling markets and a crumbling grace of French colonial buildings. During a car ride through the chaos of rush hour you will see whole families balanced on a single moped, Buddhist monks splendid in their orange robes, rickshaws and luxury limousines.

Cambodia is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia. This growth depends upon the fertility of the land fed by the mighty Mekong River that flows through the heart of Phnom Penh. Tourism is increasingly important, with the ancient Buddhist temples of Angkor Wat being the main attraction.

A trip to Cambodia would not be complete without a reminder of its recent history. During the 1970s, the Khmer people were suffering from one of the worst genocides in human history under Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge. Artists were the regime’s first victims and over the course of the era artists disappeared as cultural life was all but destroyed.

Forty years later the arts are now thriving. Buddhism is still an important influence but increasingly there is a move away from the ornate carvings and heavy gilded style. Contemporary art galleries and cultural cafes are also thriving, particularly in Phnom Penh and Battambang, home of the Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus and School of Performing Arts.

Through performing art workshops, teaching fine art to street children, ballet and our work with landmine victims, volunteer artists have made fantastic contributions to this movement. Our founders have been doing this for over 20 years but now the mood is more exciting than ever. Our art projects in Cambodia would love to have artists with skills in painting, textiles, teaching and the performing arts.

Interested?

The dry season in Cambodia runs from October to April, with the temperature around 24 degrees from October to December, rising to 35 degrees from March to June. The wet season is from May to September.

You Could:

To apply, simply complete the application form or contact us.