Nepal, also known as the land of peace, the land of the Himalayas, and the birthplace of Buddha, is a country like no other. The city of Pokhara is a very charming hub for travelers.
We’re excited about organizing a Flowarts gathering in Nepal because it will boost the economy by attracting both local and international participants, generating revenue for local businesses, tourism and hospitality sectors. It will create job opportunities in event management, performance arts, and logistics while promoting cultural exchange. The festival will also inspire Nepalese youth by showcasing creativity, artistic expression, and the potential for new career paths in arts and entertainment, hopefully fostering a vibrant and inclusive community.
Suren Kazi Gurung is a passionate entrepreneur and tourism professional from Nepal with a deep-rooted connection to the travel industry. Growing up in a family immersed in trekking and hospitality, Suren’s journey began when his mother founded Api Saipal Treks in 1992. His exposure to Japanese guests from a young age fostered a love for tourism and culture, which was later solidified by his participation in a trekking guide course in 2002. This experience shaped his career path, leading him to work with companies like Peregrine and Thamserku on camping treks that deepened his appreciation for Nepal’s landscapes and diversity.
After completing his studies and gaining experience in Australia, where he worked as a head chef and organized tours for the Nepalese community, Suren returned to Nepal in 2013 and brought back his mother’s trekking office. He transformed his family home into Api Saipal Homestay in 2015, which has since hosted guests from over 80 countries. His passion for hospitality and tourism also led to the creation of Site Restaurant and Bar in Pokhara during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Suren is also actively exploring new ventures, such as the development of Tribeni River Island Resort, a glamping retreat aimed at promoting eco-tourism in Pokhara. His entrepreneurial spirit, combined with his love for Nepal’s culture and landscapes, continues to drive his efforts to innovate and elevate the tourism sector in his homeland.
Floris first traveled to Nepal in the year 1999 and returned many times, not only for travel but also for IT work, including five months living in Patan, just south of Kathmandu. His love for Nepal stayed over time and in 2015, a trip to Nepal with some hula hoops led to a spontaneous, week-long jam in Pokhara, followed by gatherings in 2016 and 2017—a full week of Flow Arts Jam, just next to our current event location.
After five years without traveling far, Floris returned to Nepal in the spring of 2023. There, he reconnected with his friend Suren who just had started the Purnata Farm & Art Residency at a beautiful location near the jungle, yet within 30 minutes walking distance from Pokhara Lakeside. The idea of a new event was born!
Initiating this event, came also from the motivation to bring more flow arts to Nepal, embracing the credo of the Open Circus Trainings from Circuswerkplaats Boost in Amsterdam: “The goal is mutual inspiration and exchange between professional performers and circus enthusiasts”.
At the gathering we offer workshops from many high-level teachers, but still most workshops are suitable for all-levels. And inspired by events like SWHoop in the UK, we present full days packed with workshops. Additionally, we offer an affordable, retreat-like event at a location very Nepali.
A key goal of this event is to have a positive impact on the local community. Additionally, should the event generate a profit, 10% will be donated to a local charity to further contribute to the community.
Joan has never been to Nepal but got inspired from the stories of Floris and Suren. She believes bringing flow arts to more people will be a good thing and to visit a beautiful country while doing it, even better!
Over the years Joan has grown to love Flow Arts and devoted a few of her projects to it. One is called ‘World of Flow Arts’ – in this series she documents flow arts in different ways, for example through interviews with prop builders, performers or other flow artists.
In the future documentation of the festivals, retreats & other related flow arts events (like the Nepal flow arts gathering!) will come along with more in depth research into the history of props and flow. She would love to record something during the gathering (always with consent). Think about recording a podcast watching the sunset at a beautiful location, talking about flow arts.
As for her involvement with the Nepal Flow Arts Gathering she is doing most of the media, artwork and writing along with any other needed help to organize the event. At the event she would love to teach a few different classes and bring some knowledge in the form of lectures about the digital landscape and social media for those interested. Staying in the loop on what is happening online can be helpful in this digital era.
Find all the links regarding the Flow Arts gathering Nepal in our linktree
Below you will find a few impressions of Purnata Farm & Art Residency and the surroundings around it. There is a small swimmingpool at the residency.
