Fine Arts School

As you will know, the Pol Pot genocide years killed most of Cambodia’s elite including the artisan population. There are only handful of aging teachers left to pass on the skills needed to be sculptors, silver-smithers, potters, lacquerware designers, weavers and painters.

There is a Royal Fine Arts School staffed by teachers on meagre salaries who often do not turn up, attended by sons and daughters of the rich, who are only doing the courses for fun and will rarely take up employment in the art field.

Geraldine has wanted to do this project for years but was thwarted by the reality of what to do with young adults once they graduated in their field. There are no jobs for them. However, she has recently secured the interest of businesses in Australia who have expressed a desire to buy everything made from our proposed young artists which will ensure a good living for all those that pass through our doors.

Embedded in our art program would be a short management course where graduates will be taught how to market and sell their art, including web design, how to deal with customs and freight matters and basic business practice, where they will deal direct with the buyers in Australia and get the total funds paid for their artwork, instead of having to share with middlemen.

Apart from the 6 basic classrooms which will be built with their own specific requirements, there will be a small guardhouse at the entrance, an office, shop, kitchen/dining room, shower and toilet block, staff accommodation, medical clinic and a computer/business school.

We would also need to buy a minibus to bring in the students from the centre of town. Once at the school the deal is they study from 7–11 and then get a good meal, shower and medical attention if required. No study, no goodies. The same would apply to the afternoon shift from 1–5pm. No students would live there.

When we employ the teachers it would be their responsibility to “audition” prospective students so that we get those who have natural ability.

A simple site plan has been prepared by a SMEC architect and it is estimated that the cost per square metre for this project would be US$350–400.

This project to construct and set up with teaching material and 3 years running costs is estimated at around US$2m.

I know that a project like this, is one that is sorely needed in Cambodia if the wonderful Khmer arts are going to survive.

Another aspect of the Fine Arts School after it is established is to open up the students to other art forms and Geraldine already has had keen offers from artists in all fields from all over the world, who want to come and run workshops to expose young Cambodians to different styles. This will be an easy story to sell to the media and will bring welcome free advertising for any corporation involved in this project.

We welcome any other questions that may not be covered in this brief proposal and sincerely hope that this project captures your imagination. Please contact Geraldine direct with any further questions