ABOUT
Himalayan Spirits Festival is a biennial gathering that celebrates the arts, culture, and spirituality of the Himalayan region. It is a platform for creative exchange rooted in Himalayan wisdom, meditative practices, and traditional knowledge.
Each edition takes place in a different Himalayan location, embracing distinct landscapes and traditions while fostering collaboration between local and international creatives. Through residencies, performances, workshops, and cultural encounters, the festival honors Himalayan art and heritage while sparking new artistic and intellectual dialogue.
Our Vision
To sustain and evolve the Himalayan way of life, ensuring its relevance for generations to come while strengthening bonds across diverse mountain communities.
We honor centuries of traditional Himalayan practices and embrace contemporary artistic innovation, fostering a shared identity that resonates across the region.
Our goal is to spotlight both influential historical practices that have faded in recent years and the evolving ways in which Himalayan art and life continue to shape the present.
Song of Realization
“In the high mountains,
my body is like a soaring eagle;
my mind, clear and boundless,
like the cloudless sky.
The play of thoughts arises,
like rainbow colors in space—
yet their beauty is only illusion,
vanishing into the vastness.
In this way,
whatever I sing or create
is but the expression
of mind’s own nature—
empty, luminous, free.”
— Milarepa (11th century Tibetan yogi, poet, artist)
This verse, spoken nearly a thousand years ago, echoes the essence of Himalayan Spirits Festival: creativity as an expression of the natural mind, luminous yet grounded in the rhythms of mountain life.
The Festival Journey
TWO PARTS, ONE EXPERIENCE
Artist Residency (April 6–20, 2026)
Thirty artists from across the Himalayas, along with a few international collaborators, gather for two weeks of quiet creation. Together they explore the landscape, share practices, and participate in rituals that lay the foundation for the public festival.
Public Festival (April 20–25, 2026)
For five days, the village transforms into a walkable gallery and gathering place. Mornings begin with yoga or meditation. Days open into monastery visits, workshops, and talks. Evenings come alive with music, theater, and storytelling under the stars. Guests and artists share in an immersive experience that bridges creativity, spirituality, and community.
Why the Himalayas
The Himalayas are more than mountains. They are living landscapes of ritual, art, and knowledge passed from one generation to the next. By hosting the festival in rotating Himalayan locations, we honor this living culture while creating space for new connections across regions and beyond borders.
The Team
Tsherin Sherpa
Tsherin Sherpa is a globally recognized artist whose works bridge traditional Himalayan art with contemporary practices. His deep understanding of Tibetan Buddhist art and modern artistic expressions ensures the festival will maintain cultural authenticity while exploring new creative horizons.
Ang Tshering Lama
Ang Tshering Lama is a tourism entrepreneur with deep ties to Himalayan communities. His commitment to regenerative tourism and deep-rooted connection with the Himalayan communities will bring a unique perspective to the festival, ensuring that it benefits both the participants and the local community.
Anya Vaverko
Anya Vaverko is a Ukraine-born, US-raised arts organizer who has been connected to Nepal for over 20 years. Her work centers around building spaces where artists and communities come together to share stories, preserve tradition, and explore new forms of cultural expression.
Pawas Manandhar
Pawas Manandhar is a development professional with experience organizing art and culture festivals and development projects in Cambodia, Timor-Leste, the US and Nepal. His work centers around art, research and film in South Asia, with a focus on documentaries and qualitative research.
The Community
And the community of Himalayan artists, local residents, and volunteers from around the world. Together, we are shaping a festival that honors tradition while embracing new possibilities, making Himalayan Spirits a collective and transformative experience.
Our Commitment
Himalayan Spirits Festival is dedicated to:
Supporting Himalayan artists and communities
Preserving cultural heritage while making it relevant today
Offering a space where art, spirituality, nature, and cuisine come together
The spirit of the festival continues beyond the gathering through exhibitions, workshops, and conversations that build on the relationships formed in the mountains.