Photo Kathmandu
21ˢᵗ October to 3ʳᵈ November

Photo Kathmandu, Nepal’s only international photography festival, is gearing up for its second edition, to be held between Oct. 21 to Nov. 3, 2016. The festival attempts to create connections between the city, its people, its history, and its dreams and aspirations.

It serves as an alternative platform for conversations between visual storytellers and local audiences. It actively promotes Nepal as a vibrant cultural destination, and supports the recovery of tourism, an industry that has been severely affected by the earthquakes and fuel crisis of 2015, yet still employs millions of Nepali people.

The festival will host exhibitions, slide shows, artist talks, workshops and a mixed-media residency that will bring artists together to respond to and converse with the historic city of Patan, where the festival will be anchored.

Photo Kathmandu has chosen to go without a theme this year, but will feature works that speak to ideas of resilience and revival. 2016 marks 20 years since the start of the Maoist rebellion in Nepal. This war and its aftermath have left deep scars on many Nepali lives, and still affect the country at large. Last year, Nepal was hit by several horrific earthquakes which killed over 8,000 people and left over 800,000 families homeless.

Photo Kathmandu 2016 will examine how the human spirit overcomes conflict, disasters or personal challenges, and will present stories of survival and triumph from around Asia to the alley-ways of Patan.

"We hope it will be one of many ways through which the Nepali public will find the resolve to overcome adversities, and the inspiration to nurture new dreams," say the organizers.