SHIGAR VALLEY (GB) – Neela Asmaan has announced Spring-2025 cohort of its artist residency program. Founded in 2023 by Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Neela Asmaan has completed seven successful residency cycles, nurturing emerging and established creatives from across Pakistan and beyond.
Located in the breathtaking Shigar Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan, the Neela Asmaan residency offers artists time, space, and inspiration to deepen their practice, explore new ideas, and engage with local communities. This year’s program introduces a groundbreaking initiative: an international residency program that brings together local and international artists to collaborate and exchange ideas. Up to 15 artists including international participants from Europe and the Middle East will join the program between May and November – strengthening creative connections across regions and disciplines. Following a competitive selection process, Neela Asmaan is thrilled to welcome two talented artists to its two-week immersive Spring 2025 residency:
Almitra Mavalvala:
An international performing artist, writer, and composer, Almitra explores themes of displacement and representation. During her time at Neela Asmaan, she will develop “Aaliyah”, a musical aimed at raising awareness about epilepsy. Drawing from Pakistan’s rich musical heritage, Almitra plans to integrate Eastern fusion into the score while completing the script and composition.
Fatima Rahu:
A multidisciplinary textile designer, Fatima blends traditional craft with sustainable practices. At Neela Asmaan, she will focus on visual storytelling through woven forms, using local and found materials to explore themes of place, memory, and materiality. Her project will include site-specific works grounded in the Shigar landscape, created in dialogue with the local community. Chosen from a competitive pool of applicants, both artists will participate in a two-week immersive residency that began on May 18, 2025. Their practices reflect a range of disciplines including visual art, music, scriptwriting, and socially engaged work around identity and sustainability.
“We’re honoured to welcome two artists from different creative paths—performance, writing, and textile design—into the Neela Asmaan artist residency this year. We look forward to seeing how the quiet, reflective atmosphere of Shigar encourages bold expression, exchange, and inspiration for both themselves and the wider artistic community.” said Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Neela Asmaan provides each artist with studio space, creative freedom, and opportunities for collaboration and cultural exchange. A key aspect of the residency is community engagement: artists will lead workshops in local schools and community centers, fostering artistic dialogue at the grassroots level.
