Nepal, May 19 -- When Kailash K Shrestha graduated from art school in 2007, there were few studios for artists in Nepal, and he wanted to fill the gap with space to connect artists in a way that their collective effort would be visible to the community.

As Shrestha built his career and body of work, his ideas took concrete shape after he was recognised by the Australian Himalayan Foundation with the Young Artist Award in 2008. He began by setting up Artudio as a personal space, first in Thamel, then a bigger one in Lazimpat.

Shrestha envisioned a triangle of creation, curation, and education, which was later incorporated into the studio's logo. Over time, even as studios and opportunities for artists began to increase across Kathmandu,...