The Giant Puppet Project, Siem Reap 2013 Sponsorship Plan
Mission Statement A local children’s environmental community arts project, the largest of its kind in Cambodia, providing a creative platform for disadvantaged children to foster and promote self expression and confidence through art. Now entering its seventh year, this significant and unique event for underprivileged children in Siem Reap creates an important sense of community building, establishes team work, gives hope and offers pride and commendation in otherwise difficult everyday surroundings. The children flourish in the workshops and their self-worth and enthusiasm grows until it bursts out onto the streets of Siem Reap on the evening of the parade. The Giant Puppet Project Siem Reap is an initiative which is growing in size, awareness and interest both locally and internationally. Background Cambodia is a developing nation in the midst of economic growth whilst still healing from a tragic past. Over one third of Cambodia’s population are children under the age of 15. Widespread poverty exists; education, health and the environment are key issues for the sustainable growth of the country. Every year The Giant Puppet Project offers over 600 children the opportunity to digest these all important issues through an artistic medium. Overview Now a firmly established event on the annual Siem Reap calendar, three distinct elements make up this essential project. The object of the project is to educate the next generation in Cambodia the importance of their delicate environment, such as critically endangered indigenous species and help promote cultural awareness. Previous indigenous species covered by the project include: Asian Elephant Bengal Florican Cambodian Scorpion Chinese Water Dragon Clouded Leopard Kouprey Fruit Bat Giant Catfish Giant Ibis (also the national bird of Cambodia) Gibbon Monkeys Greater Adjutant Green Peafowl Indochinese Tiger Irrawaddy Dolphin Royal Turtle Sarus Crane Siamese Crocodile Sunda Pangolin
Previous cultural appreciation puppets include: Apsara Dancer Bayon Temple Em Ryso Garuda Kong Nai Mani Makhela Naga Ros Serey Sothea Sinn Sisomouth Svay Ken
Classic Cambodian ballet Angkorian Temple built by King Jayavarman VII Mythical figure from Cambodian folklore Mythical creature from Cambodian folklore Visually Impaired Master Musician (living) Mythical figure from Cambodian folklore Mythical Cambodian serpent Deceased highly revered Cambodian singer Deceased highly revered Cambodian singer Deceased artist (the ‘Grandfather of Cambodian contemporary art’)
Phase one of the Giant Puppet Project comprises of our Artistic Director travelling to Battambang, a western Cambodian province for three days. Battambang is one of only two provinces in Cambodia where there is a recognized visual arts school. Here we hold a master-class in giant puppet making with over 60 young student artists from the Phare Ponleu Selpak Visual Arts School participating. This a tremendous skill swapping opportunity for all of the artists involved. The first puppet for the event is created in Battambang and travels back to Siem Reap, along with 10 student artists from the Phare school.
Critically endangered sunda pangolin created by Phare Ponlue Selapak art students, 2012
The second phase of the project begins when the team arrive back in Siem Reap. Three workshops run simultaneously, disadvantaged children from local schools, orphanages and ‘street kid’ centers are invited to join these fun, yet educational workshops along with child landmine survivors from a local shelter. The student artists from Phare run two of the three of these workshops, which gives them leadership experience and artistic confidence.
Throughout the workshops the children are educated about the importance of their puppets through local experts from core environmental agencies such as Angkor Centre for Conservation Biodiversity (ACCB) and The Sam Veasna Center, who are invited to come and talk to the children to discuss and highlight the importance of each species.
A local guide from Sam Veansa Centre teaches children about the national bird of Cambodia, the Giant Ibis, 2012
The third phase, and climactic finale, is a dramatic parade through the streets of Siem Reap Town. In the ancient style of Chinese dragon puppets, each organization proudly carries and exhibits their creation. The children are applauded and cheered for the duration of the parade by an enormous and annually growing crowd of onlookers from the local communities as well as host of international tourists. In 2012 over the Giant Puppet Street parade drew a monumental 12,000 spectators.
The Giant Puppet Street Parade, 2012
About The Puppet Master – Jig (James) Cochrane, Artist Since 1993, James Cochrane (working under the name of Jig) has been involved with numerous organizations around the world as a Community Artist engaging fractured communities with the arts to encourage positive change and community spirit. The projects usually involve hundreds of children coming together to build giant tissue and willow structures for carnivals and installations. The results bring communities together through art, light and togetherness. Bringing much needed focus and spirit in times of great need. Jig travelled to refugee camps and towns during the Balkan wars including: Bosnia Croatia Serbia Kosovo Macedonia Carnival and arts events for children coming out of life traumas and crisis have included trips to: Sri Lanka Brazil India Peru Tanzania South Africa
Jig’s ongoing projects are The Giant Puppet Project, Siem Reap and The Book Bus In Zambia.
Puppet Master, Jig Cochrane instructing young student artists at Phare Ponleu Selpak, Battambang 2012
Jig also travels throughout the UK, leading community carnivals with schools, communities and local businesses. Over the past few years he has been involved in high profile commissions for major events and international functions. Producing giant sculptures, street puppets, hanging illuminated figures and spectacular lanterns. For more information on Jig’s workshops, visit his website at www.jigantics.com.
Pre-Event Exposure Exposure through media channels such as local television, radio, magazine advertising and a series of interviews and articles by local press in both Khmer and English languages are included in the budget. Radio advertising will commence two weeks prior to the parade event. Advertisement broadcasts will be at five specifically chosen ‘high-listening’ times of day, every day. Television advertising will begin one week prior to the parade with ads running on two local networks four key times of day. A selection of popular Cambodian magazines and tourist and expat magazines such as AsiaLIFE, SEA Globe, Discover Cambodia, etc will be featuring articles on the Giant Puppet Project 2013, these contacts have already been established and they have received our press release. The Giant Puppet Project Team have excellent relationships with local press and many articles are written prior to and following the parade in the national daily newspapers (Cambodia Daily, Phnom Penh Post). Participating organizations post articles and newsfeeds on their websites, blogs and facebook pages. International Travel Agencies regularly contact the GPP team looking for parade dates in order to put it on their itineraries for groups who may be passing through at the time. During Event Exposure Flyers and posters (in both Khmer and English language) are placed in local businesses, i.e. hotels, guesthouses, bars, restaurants, community centers, local notice-boards, etc. Thousands of bi-lingual flyers are distributed to the local community, schools and tourists in the days leading up the parade. Radio and television advertising continues.
Bi-lingual advertising flyers from 2011 and 2012 Giant Puppet Parade
Post Event Exposure Local press and bloggers write follow up articles and interviews are arranged with participating organizations where they express what the project means to them. Bayon TV and the Cambodian Television Network both aired their coverage of the parade in 2012. Growth Opportunities As a result of incorporating the creative talents of artists educated and trained in the Battambang Province of Cambodia, the puppets from the 2009 project traveled to Battambang Town to participate in the annual circus festival held there. The giant Naga (mythical serpent) and the endangered Greater Adjutant took pride of place in the festival’s two daylight parades.
The Greater Adjutant and the Giant Naga on parade in Battambang as part of the annual Tini Tinou Festival, 2009
In 2012 one of the student artists from Phare travelled to the UK to assist Jig during his busy British festival season, his travel expenses and on the ground costs were sponsored through supporters and donors of the Giant Puppet Project. This was a very special opportunity for someone we see as the future of the project. In addition to the incredible experience and recognition this initiative provides the children involved, it is also a meaningful, entertaining and popular evening for the residents of and visitors to Siem Reap. As a result, local businesses benefit greatly from the increased number of people in the downtown area.
Current Stakeholders Stuart Cochlin Project Director Jig Cochrane Artistic Director Savann Oun Project Manager Bina Hanley Marketing & Communications Manager
Participants: 600 children aged between 7-18 years from 15 local organizations in Siem Reap, Cambodia. 10 Cambodian Artists and Art Students 1 UK Artist (Artistic Director) 2 Project Team Staff Members 6 volunteers (General) 50 parade stewards and safety monitors
Previous Local Sponsors Cuisine Wat Damnak Globalteer Hotel De La Paix Interweave Cambodia La Residence d’Angkor Le Tigre de Papier Love Cards McDermott Gallery NEDO
Previous International Sponsors Belgian Technical College Citi Bank (Melbourne) Emma Thomson (actor) Handicap International Belgium James Hockey & Foyer Galleries (UK) Janet & Allen Johnson (patrons) The Blower Foundation Pactics Pegasus Group
Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor SEA Properties Sojourn Boutique Villas Soria Moria Hotel The Provincial Teaching Training College The White Bicycles Warehouse Bar Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa
Estimated Costs for 2013 Project The budget and planned growth for this year’s initiative has been set at US$15,000. Previously in 2012 total costs were $14,000. The cost is inclusive of all operating and execution costs as well as baseline marketing costs. The Cost Plan for 2013 is broken down as follows: Overhead International Flights UK Artist Economy Roundtrip from UK to Siem Reap Accommodation 11 Artists (UK & Khmer) over three weeks Domestic Transportation & Travel (inc’ local bicycle hire for all artists) Materials for puppets Food and refreshments for children & Artists during workshops Local payments (road closure, gov’t approval, police presence etc.) Local Artist Salaries UK Artist Salaries Marketing Costs Radio advertisements (daily for 14 days) Local Television advertisements (daily for 7 days) Local magazine and newspaper advertisements Designing and printing ca 700 tshirts for the children, artists & volunteers Designing and printing 500 posters Designing and printing 6,000 flyers (bilingual) Total
US$ $1,500 $1,500 $800 $3,700 $800 $500 $1,200 $1,500 $3,500
$15,000
Sponsorship The Giant Puppet Project is currently seeking full sponsorship from local and international corporate sponsors. The cost of one organization sponsoring one puppet is $1,500. Benefits to Sponsors Association with a widely recognised local social initiative that has a high and respected recognition level in Cambodia. Significant pre, during and post event exposure to local and international media, tourist and local businesses. The sponsor’s graphics, logo would be included in all GPP advertising including magazines, newspapers, posters, flyers and T-shirts. Other sponsorship and brand recognition and association initiatives can be negotiated based on the needs of the sponsor.
Timescale Fundraising and sponsorship activities Develop event theme and logistics Develop Marketing materials and define marketing strategy Execute radio, TV and press based marketing campaign Puppet development Actual event Post event coverage
Contact Information Stuart Cochlin – Project Director Tel: +855 (0) 92 601 491 James (Jig) Cochrane – Artistic Director Tel: +44 798 467 9421 Savann Oun – Project Manager Tel: +855 12 345 643 Bina Hanley – Marketing & Communications Manager Tel: +855 92 219 647 info@giantpuppetproject.com www.giantpuppetproject.com www.facebook.com/giantpuppetproject www.twitter.com/giantpuppetproj
Aug 2012 – Feb 2013 Nov 2012 – Jan 2013 Dec 2012 – Jan 2013 Jan 2013 February 2013 February 23rd 2013 Feb – Mar 2013