Free Kampong Thom festival explores climate through art
Art, workshops and local stories will bring river and climate issues into public discussion.
Thursday 5 November · 14:08 · 1 min read
In 30 seconds
- The Saiyon Kongkea Festival is planned for November 20–25 along the Steung Sen river in Kampong Thom town. [1]
- The free programme includes installations, storytelling, craft workshops, performances and works by 76 Southeast Asian artists. [1]
- Organisers say the festival will draw on local experiences of flooding, riverbank erosion and prolonged dry-season heat. [1]
What happened
The free Saiyon Kongkea Festival is scheduled for November 20–25 along the Steung Sen river in Kampong Thom town. Organised by Solarpunk Cambodia, it will use art, local stories, workshops and performances to explore climate change and community life. Activities include a solar-powered cooling installation, craft workshops with villagers and the Kui community, and an exhibition featuring work by 76 artists from Southeast Asia.
Why it matters
The festival offers local residents free activities and a place to share experiences of environmental change. Organisers say the programme aims to make environmental discussions accessible to rural communities.
Background
The festival is Cambodia’s contribution to Micro Constellations, a network of nine arts programmes across the Asia-Pacific responding to the COP31 climate summit. Organisers say flooding, riverbank collapses and prolonged dry-season heat affect communities in the area.
Key terms
- Indigenous crafts
- Handmade work and traditions associated with Indigenous communities.
- Solar-powered
- Using energy captured from sunlight.
Timeline
- November 20–25, 2026 The Saiyon Kongkea Festival is scheduled along the Steung Sen river in Kampong Thom town.
Sources (1)
[1] The Phnom Penh Post Kampong Thom riverside festival brings climate issues into focus through art 5 Nov Read originalWas this explainer clear?
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