Structure

The Department of Culture and Fine Arts of Kampong Thom Province has a total of 89 government officials, 35 of whom are female. This includes 45 civil servants (18 female) and 44 contract officials (17 female). The department is led by a director and two Deputy Directors. There are also seven subordinate offices, each with specific roles and responsibilities, as detailed below:

1. Office of Administration and Human Resources

• General Administration Management: Serves as the central coordinating body for all administrative tasks to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the department.
• Human Resources Management: Responsible for all personnel-related functions, from recruitment to termination.

2. Office of Cinema and Cultural Promotion

• Film Production and Promotion
• Promote Production: Encourage and facilitate the production of documentaries, short films, and videos that showcase the cultural heritage, traditions, and tourism in the province.
• Content Review: Review the content of films to ensure they do not negatively impact cultural values.
• Organize Screenings: Coordinate and arrange national and international film screenings to enhance the public’s understanding and appreciation of cinema.
• Cultural Promotion and Digital Content Management
• Create Campaigns: Develop and implement promotional campaigns through social media, radio, and television to elevate the value of national arts, traditions, and culture.
• Document and manage social media: Collect documents and manage the department’s social media channels.

3. Office of Arts and Performances

• Conservation and Promotion of Performing Arts
• Document Art Forms: Compile and maintain records related to traditional and classical art forms in the province, such as dance, theater, classical music, and other folk arts.
• Promote Arts: Encourage and facilitate the performance of arts on both national and international stages to showcase the province’s cultural identity.
• Organization and Management of Cultural and Artistic Events
• National and Traditional Events: Participate in organizing artistic and performance programs for major national festivals, such as Khmer New Year, Pchum Ben Festival, and other significant events.
• Organize Performances: Arrange weekly or monthly art performances to provide a platform for local artists to showcase their talents and to attract tourists.
• Training for Young Artists and Community Arts
• Conduct Training Sessions: Organize short-term training courses for artists, aspiring students, and young people in the community, especially those from indigenous groups, who are interested in arts such as dance, theater, and traditional and contemporary music, to ensure the continuity of these art forms.
• Support Artists: Provide encouragement and support to talented artists so they can pursue their careers.

4. Office of Cultural Development

• Conservation and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage
• Conduct Inventory: Create an inventory of intangible heritage across the province, including traditions, beliefs, ritualistic practices, and traditional knowledge.
• Promoting Cultural Industries
• Support Local Products: Encourage the creation and sale of handicrafts and souvenirs that reflect the cultural identity of the province, aiming to increase income for local communities. Products from the indigenous Kuoy people are specifically encouraged.

5. Office of Visual Arts and Handicrafts

• Conservation and Promotion of Traditional Handicrafts
• Inventory and Research: Research and document endangered traditional crafts such as wood carving, stone carving, pottery, silk weaving, rattan, and more.
• Preserve Knowledge: Identify experts and elders skilled in these crafts to document their knowledge and techniques.
• Human Resource Training
• Organize Training Sessions: Hold annual training courses in ancestral arts to ensure their continuation from one generation to the next, covering skills like stone carving, embroidery, lacquerware, etc.
• Provide Support: Offer technical assistance, materials, and necessary equipment where possible to help artisans continue their work.
• Market and Product Promotion
• Organize Exhibitions: Collaborate with relevant institutions, departments, and local artisans to organize exhibitions or cultural markets under the slogan “One Village, One Product,” providing an opportunity for local artisans to display and sell their goods.
• Promote Products: Work with various media outlets to promote the province’s handicrafts more widely.

6. Office of Heritage

• Registration and Management
• Conduct Inventory: Study, research, and register ancient temples, historical buildings, ancient iron smelting sites, heritage structures within pagodas, and all un-stored artifacts across the province.
• Document Management: Create and maintain systematic digital databases for all heritage sites and structures. This includes facilitating the registration of hard titles for state land (land plots) at all ancient sites throughout the province.
• Conservation and Restoration
• Assess Condition: Evaluate the condition and quality of ancient structures and artifacts to determine risks and needs for restoration and conservation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and other relevant institutions.
• Prevent Destruction: Prevent and stop all intentional theft, illegal excavation, and destruction of ancient sites or artifacts. This is done in close cooperation with the Heritage Protection Police Office of the Provincial Police Commission, relevant institutions, and local authorities.
• Collect Artifacts: Assess the risk to artifacts still at their original sites. If they are at risk, the office must collaborate immediately with local authorities to collect and store them at the provincial museum.
• Promotion and Education
• Create Educational Programs: Collaborate with educational institutions and local authorities to create training sessions and promote awareness of heritage laws and values among students, local authorities, and the public. This aims to foster a deeper understanding of local history and heritage.
• Publish Books: Conduct research on cultural heritage to compile and publish books on the history of Kampong Thom province and its heritage structures.

7. Office of the Museum

• Artifact Management and Conservation
• Collection and Registration: Organize and register all exhibits to ensure clear organization and easy retrieval.
• Conservation and Restoration: Maintain and preserve artifacts and exhibits to prevent damage, and perform necessary repairs.
• Storage Management: Manage the storage and display areas for artifacts, ensuring they are secure and meet all technical standards.
• Exhibition and Education
• Organize Exhibitions: Arrange exhibitions on various themes to make it easy for visitors to learn and to attract their interest.
• Disseminate Knowledge: Serve as an educational hub, providing the public with information about the history, art, and culture of Kampong Thom province.
• Organize Educational Programs: Arrange programs for students and the general public, such as lectures or tours, to enhance their cultural understanding.