About Neela Asmaan
Along the historic Road to K2, standing at 8,611 m as the second-highest mountain on Earth, surrounded by the Karakoram Mountain Range, in Pakistan’s Shigar Valley, Neela Asmaan is an International multidisciplinary Residency of Ideas – exploring the intersections of art, craft, climate, culture, technology and the future.
Shigar Valley is located in the world’s third pole, the highest mountain region of the Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindu Kush, containing the largest concentration of ice outside the polar regions, feeding the rivers that sustain hundreds of millions of people across Asia
Founded by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Neela Asmaan brings together artists, craftspeople, researchers, technologists, climate scientists and cultural practitioners to develop new work, undertake research, while engaging with the social and environmental realities of this rapidly changing region.
Neela Asmaan is committed to creating opportunities of artistic, academic and cultural exchange between Pakistan and the world.
Neela Asmaan Residencies
Neela Asmaan residencies are developed around specific areas of enquiry, including artistic expression, climate change, design solution, sustainable agriculture, food systems, cultural heritage, technology and mountain futures. Each season, Neela Asmaan releases ‘Open Calls’ , through which participants from all across the world can apply with their original ideas, to be awarded a 2 Week residency opportunity in Shigar, which is facilitated by the Neela Asmaan teams in Karachi and Gilgit-Baltistan.
During these two weeks, residents live and work at the Neela Asmaan Field Station, which is a solar powered, self-serviced living and working space in Central Shigar, equipped with a furnished facility with WiFi, hot water and linen. The Field Station has two ensuite bedrooms, a shared kitchen, study area, lounge and balcony. The Field Station is located in the heart of residential Shigar, walking distance to the Shigar Fort, the village square with shops and an ATM Machine.
Community engagement is a critical part of the residency programme. Residents work with local schools and communities through workshops, activities and creative initiatives. To date, these programmes have reached more than 300 students across the district through sculpture, upcycling, natural pigment discovery, cooking, drawing, poetry, filmmaking, weaving and visual storytelling
Since its launch, Neela Asmaan has hosted 27 emerging and mid-career artists and practitioners across 14 residency cycles. In 2025, we began developing international exchange programmes, welcoming practitioners from Spain and Nepal. Our flagship Climate Futures Residency brings together climate scientists, researchers and local community experts to investigate issues including retreating glaciers, biodiversity, tourism and mountain livelihoods.
Through field research, community engagement and creative practice, the residency programme at Neela Asmaan produces new research, creative work and opportunities for community exchange.
For more details on the ongoing ‘Climate Futures Residency’ and other ‘Open Calls’, follow us on Instagram.
The Future at Neela Asmaan
In 2027 Neela Asmaan’s priority areas of work include international collaborations specifically exploring the subjects of technology, food and design. Neela Asmaan currently operates from its Field Station in Central Shigar, as the first phase of a larger campus in nearby Hashupi. As part of its ongoing work Neela Asmaan is collaborating closely with the University of Baltistan, Baltistan Culture and Development Foundation and the Gilgit-Baltistan Baltistan Archeological and Heritage Foundation.