Prior to the colonial period, production of things that are today considered ‘Cambodian craft’ or ‘Cambodian art’ seems to have occured in two different spheres. In the countryside things were made primarily for practical or social use on a part-time basis; while in the Royal Palace, a select group of skilled artists and artisans worked full-time to produce objects for the king and court.

There has been a revival of Cambodian crafts over the past decade, in part due to the growing market in tourist souvenirs and hotel fittings, in part due to the efforts of government and NGOs interested to restore its former glories. A number of crafts, including stone carving and lacquerwork, had effectively ceased to be practiced, but today have a healthy body of artisans producing work of international quality.

Use the navigation bar on the left to read more about the traditional visual arts in Cambodia or make direct contact with organisations and individuals working in this sector through our KEY CONTACTS database.