$500
Cash award plus an exhibition opportunity.
For the artists · Ended
The Kep Challenge & Talent Quest.
A talent quest of art. Share your creativity for Kep. Theme: Transformation and New Beginnings.
About the challenge
Kep is back on the map!
“Art for Kep” invites you to submit creative works inspired by the theme “Transformation and New Beginnings.” Selected winners will be celebrated at our residency launch at Raffles Phnom Penh on October 30, 2025.
Knai Bang Chatt and Kep West proudly present the Art for Kep Artist Talent Contest, open to creators and curators across all disciplines — visual arts, performance, writing, film, and conceptual projects. To artists and gallery owners: submit original artworks, essays, videos, or performances that engage with the theme. Your work will contribute to celebrating art in Kep, while the theme itself is open to your own interpretation and vision.
Call for art — showcase your creativity for Kep.
While the theme is open to broad interpretation, artists are welcome to draw inspiration from Kep as a gathering place for creativity: its coastal scenery, layered history, and the spirit of renewal in its arts and cultural life. Submissions can also be metaphorical, narrative, or deeply personal — showing how transformation and new beginnings resonate in universal or individual ways.
Why enter?
Prizes in all categories.
Join the artist contest, showcase your unique talents and win cash prizes and awards! All forms of art are welcome. Prizes were awarded at Raffles Phnom Penh on 30 October.
$500
Cash award, with the option to perform at the gala.
$500
Cash award and publication on the Art for Kep website.
$500
Cash award, plus a screening at a local partner venue.
$500
Cash award and the opportunity to present or perform at the gala.
1 month + $1,000
One artist receives a fully supported one-month residency at Knai Bang Chatt, with a cash bonus of $1,000.
Selected artists are featured and promoted on our website. We also help secure sponsorships and support from external partners to further showcase and develop their work.
Important dates
From call to gala.
Submission deadline
Last day to submit your artwork.
Winners announced
At Raffles Phnom Penh.
Art of Kep · Artist contest winners
Our 4 winning artists.
From a total of 47 submissions, the following four artists achieved the highest scores and were selected as the official winners of the Art for Kep competition.
Winner · Film
Ines Sothea
Final score 28
Winner · Poetry
Eleonore Sok
Final score 21
Winner · Visual arts
Kyle Kao
Final score 26
Winner · Performing arts
Rita Lirea
Final score 29
The call in full
All art forms are welcome.
- Visual arts: painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media, installation.
- Performance: dance, theater, music, spoken word, live or site-specific work.
- Writing: poetry, essays, short stories, creative nonfiction, experimental text.
- Film & media: short or feature film, documentary, video art, animation, digital storytelling.
- Conceptual & experimental: interactive pieces, participatory art, sound art, new media.
- Craft & design: textiles, ceramics, photography, architecture-inspired works.
- Interdisciplinary: hybrid projects that cross or blend art forms.
- Open to local and international, emerging or established artists, including art students, working across visual arts, performance, writing, film, and conceptual disciplines.
- Artwork must be original and created solely by the entrant; works previously awarded in other contests are not eligible.
- One submission per participant. Collaborative works must list all contributors.
- LinDa Saphan, PhD — Cambodian artist, social anthropologist, and cultural historian. A Fulbright Scholar, she contributed to Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll and has published widely on Cambodian cinema and cultural history.
- Pierre-André Romano — founder of Satcha and Sar Modern Art Museum in Siem Reap; a leader in promoting modern Cambodian craft and innovative, sustainable creative economies.
- Reaksmey Yean — Cambodian curator, researcher, and educator; Program Director of Silapak Trotchaek Pneik, with advanced degrees and expertise in contemporary Cambodian art and criticism.
How to submit
Artwork guidelines.
- Submit high-resolution JPEG or PNG images (max 10 MB) of each artwork; for multipart pieces, one image of the entire work and one detail view.
- Include artwork title, dimensions, medium, year created, and a brief artist statement (up to 100 words).
- Physical works should not exceed 180 × 180 cm and must be dry, stable, and ready for display.
- Submit a compressed video file (MP4, AVI, or MOV, up to 100 MB) via the provided portal.
- Include title, duration, brief synopsis, and technical requirements for exhibition.
- For collaborative film/video works, all principals must be listed.
- Submit a written concept (max 1 page) and supporting visuals (photographs, storyboard, or a compressed video file).
- If already performed, provide documentation (video or images); if unperformed, storyboard illustrations are acceptable.
- Upload PDF or DOCX files (max 10 pages).
- Include title, author name, and a summary (100 words).
- Discuss the project’s concept in detail; submit visual documentation, diagrams, or supporting media as appropriate.
- Include installation dimensions and technical requirements.
- Prepare a brief artist biography and CV highlighting relevant achievements; this supports the jury’s evaluation.
- Works must adhere to health and safety standards for exhibition and transport.
- Copyrights remain with the artist; selected works may be shown online and exhibited as part of Art for Kep activities.
- Entrants are responsible for proper labeling and file organization for each submission.
- Finalists may be contacted for additional interviews or supporting material.
- All entries are submitted via the official Art for Kep submission portal.
The fine print
Rights, privacy and disqualification.
The winning and shortlisted artworks are shared on the Art for Kep website and on the gala night at Raffles. Artwork remains the sole ownership of the artist.
Your registration information and your artwork can be freely distributed on social media and at events.
Late entries, incomplete labeling, and failure to follow specifications are reasons for disqualification.