The 3rd annual S’Art Urban Art Festival is coming up in Battambang. The festival to be held from June 12 to 17 celebrates the social value of art and promotes cultural tourism.

The Department of Tourism in Battambang has announced that the cultural troupe Phare Ponleu Selpak (Brightness of the Arts) will join to help celebrate the 3rd annual S’Art Urban Art Festival.

The festival originally began on the initiative of Brightness of the Arts and Battambang province in 2018. After an absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival is returning with a full week of art parades wrapping up with a concert.

Nou Tha, deputy director of the Battambang Provincial Department of Tourism, said the festival is a biennial event. It showcases a variety of art forms, including hip-hop dancing, mural-painting and creative arts activities along with parades and concerts.

Tha said the festival brings local people and visitors together to encourage participation and creativity.

The festival also explores local culture unique to Battambang.

Tha added, “Artists will create a contemporary art parade along with street garbage collection activities, as well as organise a food fair. We hope all these events will attract both local people and visitors.”

“The festival shows the great potential Battambang has for cultural tourism in the province,” he said.

The Battambang tourism department noted recently that raising awareness of the nation’s common cultural heritage remains an important element of the festival.

The statement added that the festival aims to encourage expression of emotions and creativity among the public about identity, artistic and cultural heritage.

It cultivates mutual recognition and respect for unique cultures and to build a deeper understanding of the common heritage.

It also intends to enhance the beauty of the city through showcasing its long-standing traditions of art, like mural-making and sculpture.

The S’art Urban Arts Festival is establishing Battambang as a centre for cultural events, both for local residents and for visitors passing through. What’s more, it gives the province an economic boost.