The contemporary Cambodian education sector has recognized the need to safeguard and revive the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) previously forbidden under the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979). While most traditional music, dance and theatre education takes place within elite or specialized contexts, a growing number of non-governmental organizations are incorporating such ICH elements into programmes that serve underprivileged, abandoned, orphaned or disabled youth. This article presents the results of a three-year research project focusing on the practical and ethical issues faced by educators at different field sites as they negotiated the tension between transmitting ICH and preparing youth to enter a cosmopolitan, post-conflict Cambodia.