When ninety per cent of a nation’s performing artists perish at the hands of a brutal regime, the preservation and renewal of the country’s ancient cultural heritage becomes a matter of international concern. In less than four years, the Khmer Rouge wiped out nearly two million people, among them scores of dancers, actors, directors, writers and musicians.

As Cambodia slowly rebuilds its confidence and a sense of national identity, the performing arts are at the heart of the process. Painstaking work must be done to record the memories of dancers who survived the Pol Pot era so that ancient classical ballets are documented before they disappear forever. At the same time, young performers are eager to find their own form of expression in the creation of new works.

Since July 2003, Amrita has been helping Khmer performers do just this. Its activities so far have demonstrated that not only is there a growing market for performances in Cambodia. Overseas audiences, too, have a keen appetite for these exquisitely skilled dancers and Cambodian theatre is beginning to enjoy a prominent presence at international festivals.

But there remains a lot to do. As well as the work required to preserve the classical traditions and support the artists themselves, there is a critical need to develop local arts management expertise and fundraising skills.  All this costs money and we can only build this essential capacity with the generous financial support of others.

Even modest funding will make a real difference. While Amrita's long term goal is to have weekly performances all year round, for now we are seeking funding for two to three eight-week festivals a year in which all performance forms are represented.  Each series costs about $10,500.  Commissioning a new work or reviving a fully staged segment of lost repertory costs $7,000 - $15,000, while a circus performance requires as little as $300, or $1,650 for a six-month program.  National tours are essential as provincial audiences are starved of cultural events.  Such tours to three cities, costs about $3,500.00.

At the same time, we have ongoing expenses. Many older or damaged costumes at the Royal University of Fine Arts need replacing. Just $2,000 would help start to bring the collection back to its full complement.  And with classrooms and theatre spaces in need of repair and a constant requirement of new musical instruments, as little as $500 goes a very long way.