A month of action, inclusion and impact!

What's been happening at Epic Arts.

June was full of inspiring moments! We strengthened our team through staff training and reached nearly 95,000 views across our various social media platforms.

At our Centre, we hosted a key meeting with school leaders to improve accessibility and plan for new integrated classrooms. Our Social Work team led an important session on Child Protection, encouraging communities to speak out and take action.

We proudly hosted the 3rd Kampot Provincial Inclusive Education Working Group meeting, helping move forward inclusive education planning, teacher recruitment and classroom accessibility improvements. And to top it all off, we joined over 70 education champions from across Cambodia to advocate for a more inclusive, impactful national education system.

To all our incredible supporters, thank you. Your continued belief in our mission helps us champion a world where every person counts (EPiC). 🙌

Inspiring Stories

Dancing Through Barriers: Meet Sann 

If you’ve seen an Epic Arts Dance Company performance, chances are you’ve witnessed the energy and talent of Sann.

For over a decade, Sann has been a professional dancer at Epic Arts. Encouraged by his older brother, Noth (also a dancer), he joined the organisation after learning Cambodian Sign Language at age 14. “I was always nervous,” Sann says. “Joining Epic Arts and learning to sign changed everything.”

Today, Sann is a confident performer, rehearsing regularly for shows like Krama and Come Back Brighter and leading inclusive dance workshops across Cambodia. A highlight for him was taking part in the Phare project in Battambang, where he learned circus skills and found a new sense of belonging.

What Sann values most is inclusion:

“I enjoy being able to talk, be understood and work alongside people with and without disabilities. Everyone here is kind. Every person counts.”

COVID was tough, bringing cancelled shows and fewer opportunities. But the team’s spirit never faded and now they’re back, stronger than ever.

When he’s not dancing, Sann enjoys time with his son, football, fishing and Deaf community events.

His message to others: “Work together. Don’t discriminate. Every person should be treated equally.”

Events and Performances

Investing in People, Driving Inclusion: Epic Arts Focuses on Training and Growth 

At Epic Arts, we believe that creating a more inclusive world starts with investing in people. This month, we’ve been proud to strengthen our work through a powerful series of trainings focused on leadership, education and inclusive support. 

We’re thrilled to welcome Jan Noorlander, Strategic Advisor at Innovia Solutions, who is guiding us in reviewing and refreshing Epic Arts’ strategic direction.  Jan’s expert insight is helping us shape a bold, impactful roadmap for the future, one that strengthens our mission to build a society where everyone is valued and included. 

Our commitment to inclusive education also took a big step forward with a two day training led by CCAMH Cambodia, focusing on counselling and classroom strategies for children and youth with autism and Down syndrome. The training empowered our staff to deepen communication skills and provide more compassionate support to students and their families. 

Meanwhile, our leadership team participated in “Exceptional Leadership: Empowering People, Purpose and Possibility”, a transformative workshop led by Brett White of Be Leaders. Through hands on activities our team explored the key behaviours that drive strong, aligned and compassionate leadership, both in the workplace and beyond. 

And finally, we proudly hosted an in house training on “Approaches to Supporting Children with Learning Difficulties”, led by Program Director Kakada and IEP Coordinator Kagna. This workshop empowered 17 participants, including teachers and Epic Arts staff, to better support students with a wide range of disabilities, from hearing impairments to cerebral palsy. 

Each training is a step forward in strengthening our team, improving our programs and building the inclusive future we believe in.

Inclusive Arts

Dance as a Voice for Change

At Epic Arts, dance isn’t just performance- it’s a powerful way to advocate for inclusion. This month our Epic Arts Dance team performed at a community event in Kampot, bringing their stories directly to local audiences.

Through movement they break down stereotypes, inspire change and build emotional connections that resonate deeply with the community. Performing live in Kampot shows how the arts can unite and empower people right where they live. 

Watch the video filmed at the event here: Epic Arts Dance

Impact Update

Building Inclusive Classrooms, One School at a Time

At Epic Arts we believe education should be for everyone. That’s why we’re working with local primary schools to create Integrated Classrooms- safe, inclusive spaces inside state schools where children with disabilities can learn alongside their peers.

We sat down with Kakada, our Program Director, to hear more about how these classrooms are opened, the challenges involved and the incredible impact they’re having on students, teachers and families.

“An integrated classroom is a class for children with disabilities inside a state school,” Kakada explains.
“It means they’re not learning separately outside of state school or in other centres, they’re part of the state school community.” 

But before a class can open, there’s a lot of groundwork to be done. The team meets with school directors, assesses accessibility, gathers support from local authorities and makes sure the school is ready.

“We don’t just pick any school, we choose based on how many children with disabilities they have, the schools location, what support they need and the commitment of the school leadership,” Kakada says.

Thanks to strong relationships with government and school leaders, Epic Arts now supports five integrated classrooms in Kampot, with a sixth coming soon! 

From Exclusion to Inclusion

The feedback from families and schools has been powerful.

“One parent shared that they only had one motorbike,” Kakada explains. “The father chose to walk to work every day so the mother could take their child to school. That’s how deeply they valued their child’s education.”

One of Kakada’s most touching memories? A student who joined the class without speaking or engaging with others is now thriving in an inclusive class, and their parents didn’t even want the class to close on public holidays!

Why It Matters

Having children with and without disabilities learn and play together builds empathy and understanding from a young age.

“At first, students without disabilities felt shy or unsure,” Kakada says, “but now they’re playing and learning together like friends. That’s real inclusion.” 

Looking Ahead

Kakada’s dream is for every primary school in Kampot to have an integrated classroom which is led by schools themselves, not just supported by Epic Arts.

“We want to build a future where schools are ready and able to include all students, whether we’re there or not,” she says.

A huge thank you to our dedicated team, supportive local partners, government ministries and generous donors who make this work possible. Together, we’re opening doors and changing lives one classroom at a time!