Karnali Fine Arts Exhibition Draws 8,000 Visitors

Surkhet, February 10, 2026 [2082 Magh 27] - Around 8,000 people have viewed indigenous artworks at the third Karnali Province-level fine arts exhibition organized by the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts.

Palsangmo Lama, an Academician at the Academy and Head of the Traditional Art Department, said around 8,000 people visited the exhibition. She said most of the visitors were students.

Works displayed at the exhibition

The exhibition features more than 100 artworks across eight genres, including:

• cartoons

• photography

• handicrafts

• sculpture

The exhibition includes paintings created by Karnali’s artists depicting Karnali’s tourism, lifestyle, and traditional attire. Handicraft items made by the Tharu community and the Raute community were also displayed.

Lama said visitors showed interest in the handicraft items made by the Tharu and Raute communities. She added that, because the exhibition includes images and sculptures reflecting the province’s indigenous arts and culture, student visitors have had an opportunity to observe and learn.

For study pathways related to this field, see Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Call for stronger provincial ownership

Nirmaya Lama, a member of the Academy’s Academic Council, said the exhibition has helped increase the promotion and dissemination of fine arts. She suggested that the provincial government should also take ownership of such exhibitions, which support the development of artists and art that may remain less visible at the local and provincial levels.

For provincial context, see Karnali Province.

Sudurpashchim provincial exhibition begins

With the central theme “Fine Arts Campaign,” the “Sudurpashchim Provincial Fine Arts Exhibition–2082” has begun. The exhibition was inaugurated by Naradmani Hartamchhali, Chancellor of the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, and Lokbahadur Bista, Chief of Kailali Multiple Campus.

Pradeep Adhikari, Head of the Academy’s Department of Architecture and Folk Art and Coordinator of the Sudurpashchim Province Coordination Committee, said the exhibition includes artworks from Sudurpashchim Province, including contemporary painting, sculpture, traditional sculpture, craft and handicrafts, architecture, and folk art.

For provincial context, see Sudurpashchim Province.

The program included participation from Sanu Chaudhary, Chairperson of the Tharu Kalyankarini Sabha District Executive Committee, Kanchanpur, as well as artists, students, and journalists. The exhibition concludes on February 9, 2026 [2082 Magh 26].