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CICADA’s report provides new data on the status of artists and cultural workers in Cambodia
Artists and workers in the cultural and creative industries fulfil a crucial function in the Kingdom of Cambodia, ensuring the preservation of traditional practices and arts, while simultaneously contributing to the country’s economic growth. Artists also face unique challenges, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic, as cultural activities are often not sufficient to provide sustainable livelihoods. This situation is the focus of the report titled “Cultural and Creative Industries in Cambodia: Mapping Human Resources and Socio-Economic Conditions” published by CICADA (Creative Industries in Cambodia Association for Development and Advocacy), an organization that supports the development of the arts sector by providing training, funding, and resources to artists and cultural workers.
CICADA was established with the support of UNESCO’s International Fund for Cultural Diversity, within the framework of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, in close cooperation with Cambodian Living Arts. Since 2023, the organization has received the support of the UNESCO-Aschberg Programme for Artists and Cultural Professionals to implement a project on “Building a Knowledge-base to improve the Status of the Artist in Cambodia”, an initiative that aims to advance artistic freedom in the country, by bridging knowledge gaps and advocating for informed and effective cultural policy-making.
The latest report published by CICADA maps the landscape of the informal cultural and creative industries in Cambodia, highlighting the demographic background, education and training, working conditions, livelihood characteristics, and career pathways of Cambodian artists and cultural workers. The notion of “informal industries” indicates workers which are not formally registered, and therefore do not feature in official statistical reporting of the country’s economic activity. This status characterized the great majority of the participants to the survey, who comprised of 414 workers from different sectors, including music, performing arts, crafts, culinary arts, visual arts, literature, and press. Their research found that artists tend not to be employed under legal contracts, and generally acquire their skills through informal training. For instance, out of the surveyed individuals, only 10% reported having worked under a written contract, and less than 15% held a higher education degree.
The informal nature of a significant part of the Cambodian cultural and creative industries, as highlighted by the report, makes it difficult to measure the impact of Cambodian artists and cultural workers of society and the economy. On one hand, the survey found that artists and workers have contributed to the Cambodian economy, as attested by their ability to generate sustained income per capita, but such contribution does not feature in official GDP calculations. On the other hand, cultural and creative industries often do not constitute a reliable source of income, especially for musicians and performing artists, who are vulnerable to economic fluctuations due to the seasonal nature of the demand for their services.
The results of the survey outlined the negative effects of the pandemic, indicating that earnings of artists, which were in line with average national income prior to 2020, suffered a great decrease and then were characterized by slower recovery rates in comparison with other sectors. Another important finding that emerged in the report concerns the inequalities which exist within the cultural and creative sectors. More than two-thirds of the survey participants were men, and the study found that women are often discouraged from pursuing a career in the arts, or are forced to leave the industry due to household duties. Gender imbalances in the cultural sector represent a priority area of intervention for the future.
The Government of Cambodia has recently taken concrete actions in this field and the Prime Minister has vowed support for Cambodian artists and traditions, notably through the announcement of five years of financial support for the Khmer Artists Association (KAA). This initiative is in line with UNESCO’s 1980 Recommendation on the Status of the Artists, which calls upon Member States to improve the professional, social and economic status of artists through the implementation of evidence-based policies and measures related to training, social security, employment, income and tax conditions, mobility and freedom of expression.
To learn more, read UNESCO’s report “Empowering creativity: implementing the UNESCO 1980 Recommendation Concerning the Status of the Artist: 5th Global Consultation” .
CICADA’s report is available .
