About

Kathmandu Triennale

Kathmandu Triennale (KT), now in its fourth edition, which was previously branded as the Kathmandu International Art Festival, is Nepal’s premier international platform for global contemporary art. It looks to foster a healthy art ecology that is based on the exchange of knowledge through an expansive art exhibition as well as a robust educational and public outreach programme.

The Triennale’s exhibition will be presented across five historically and culturally significant venues in three clusters; Patan, Kathmandu, and Boudha. There will also be a series of curated public programmes, including performances, workshops, lectures and an opening series of conversations, parallel to the exhibition. The exhibition includes over 100 artists, collectives and collaborators from more than 40 nations. The public outreach programmes are organised in partnership with various local and international institutions, presented throughout the duration of the Triennale project, which began with the monthly Nepal Art History Discussion Series initiated in October 2019, and KT2077 Kurakani virtual artist talk series started in June 2020.

KT attracts visitors of all backgrounds. A large percentage is the general public and students from Nepal, along with international leaders in contemporary art and the region’s arts professionals.

The Triennale's approach and way of working is centered around openness and diverse practice, employing staff of different backgrounds and experience. The team works to establish this inclusivity in the Triennale programme as well, offering free access to all, multilingual texts, documentation and online archiving. The curation is also informed by these approaches, led by the work of Hong Kong curator Cosmin Costinas and the local Nepali curators Hit Man Gurung and Sheelasha Rajbhandari, deeply interested in redefining the borders of what constitutes ‘art’ and other indigenous crafts. 

KT is funded by private donors, corporate sponsors, public and international granting bodies. It also relies on in-kind partnership with local institutions and companies offering production capabilities, venues, food & beverage, and human resources. The Triennale is built by like-minded institutions and individuals, growing with each iteration.

In the interest of full transparency, the Triennale wishes to make our project budget public, listed by category of spending in the diagram below. If you would like to support this project or partner with us, please visit the Supporters page.

Siddhartha ArtsFoundation

Siddhartha Arts Foundation (SAF) was registered in 2011 with a mission to promote and develop various Nepali arts, using an inclusive lens and approach. Its main vision is to establish Kathmandu City as a cultural hub in South Asia. SAF is the principal organizer of the Kathmandu Triennale. It is interested in expanding our definition of the arts to explore the aesthetics of those being pushed to the margins, negotiating authority in a country with numerous minority groups, and providing a platform for Nepali contemporary artists to engage in critical conversations.

The main focus of the Foundation is to lead the organising of Kathmandu Triennale - the exhibitions and auxiliary events, all open to the public. SAF is also involved in establishing lasting educational exercises with a focus on art research, practice, criticism, and management. SAF’s Educational Initiative (SAFEI) conducted the first survey of Nepal’s cultural policies, as well as the first workshops on curatorial practice in the country. It is also works to support and train the next generation of arts professionals in Nepal.

Follow Siddhartha Arts Foundation on Facebook and Instagram for updates on ongoing projects and events.

Kathmandu Triennale 2077 was made possible by the generous support of various Sponsors and Partners
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Designed & Developed by: Curves n' Colors | Visual identity by: Wkshps

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