At the bottom of the page is a link to the latest exhibition from Open Studio online.

Two-week trip turns into years-long passion project, mentoring & supporting Cambodian artists
•25 Mar 2021

Lauren Iida is an artist and visionary with Seattle roots who now splits her time between Seattle and Cambodia. In addition to her own robust and prolific art practice, Lauren mentors and supports Cambodian artists through Open Studio Cambodia, the arts collective she founded in 2018.


Open Studio Cambodia is an artist collective working out of Siem Reap, Cambodia, the gateway to the ancient temples of Angkor Wat. Founded in 2018, Open Studio Cambodia mentors, represents, and provides supplies and communal studio space to its members, most of whom are emerging contemporary Cambodian artists.
We believe in the power of art not only to enhance the lives of the artists we work with, but as an important platform to share the stories that define all of us. In this challenging year we have remained steadfast in our commitment to our artistic practice and supportive communal studio environment, and adaptive to the changes all around us.
Our January 2021 showcase, “Hope on the Horizon” includes new works in oil, acrylic, hand-cut paper, digital photography/mixed media, textile, watercolor, and wood sculpture. This is the first time all nine members of our arts collective have exhibited together and we are pleased to do so at the AIR Gallery at Factory Phnom Penh, powered by FT Gallery.


hope_on_the_horizon_final_exhibition_2021_osc_.pdf
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https://www.openstudiocambodia.com/

20 May, 2021
Open Studio Opens Again
Open Studio Cambodia is back in business, moving back into l downtown Siem Reap and back in the black, able to support its artists due to a successful fundraiser, which reached its humble $10,000 target virtually overnight.
“I was really worried about the future of Open Studio Cambodia before I saw how successful this fund-raising campaign became,” Open Studio founder, Japanese-American artist Lauren Iida says, “ Covid has taken away so many of our opportunities to exhibit, sell, and have workshops.
“Now I feel confident that we will be able to continue supporting the art careers of the Cambodian artists we work with, and that we will be able to set up our new gallery well to welcome tourists when they come back.”

Open Studio Cambodia artists lost 80% of its business to the pandemic, and the fundraiser idea was to drum up enough cash to support them.
“For example, $50 pays for a week of food, lodging, utilities, and basic necessities for one of the families we support,” Lauren says. “Meeting our fundraising goal means we will be able to offer $200 stipends per family per month for 3 months.”
At last count funds raised amounted to $12455, and Lauren says extra funds will serve several purposes.

“We want to set up an artist project grant to give opportunities to other emerging artists outside of our immediate artist team,” she says.
“We will also develop products with our art to sell online and in other countries during this difficult time when we may not be able to have exhibitions and other in-person events for many months.
“For example, we want to publish a book about our artists Morn Chear's life, illustrated with his artwork which tells the story of his perseverance in overcoming his disability.” ’
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