Srinagar, Oct 17: KaniFest 2026, a two-week creative festival celebrating Kashmir’s cultural heritage, craftsmanship and contemporary artistic expression, began on Saturday at KaniHome in Zakura, Srinagar.
Running from October 17 to 30, the festival brings together artists, craftspeople, designers, musicians, researchers, educators, filmmakers and other creative practitioners to explore new ideas, exchange knowledge and collaborate across disciplines.
Rooted in Kashmir’s traditions of craftsmanship and cultural heritage, KaniFest provides a platform for creative experimentation, learning and dialogue, bringing traditional practices into conversation with contemporary forms of expression.
The programme combines discussions, live performances, workshops and hands-on creative activities, encouraging participants to explore the intersections of culture, nature, technology and the arts.
The festival also offers opportunities for students, makers, entrepreneurs, curators, writers and community builders to engage with practitioners from diverse fields and learn about different creative approaches.
A key attraction of this year’s edition will be sunset music gatherings featuring Gaekhir Republik, Moze and Ali Saifuddin. The programme will also include projection mapping by creative technologists based at KaniHome, adding a technological dimension to the festival’s artistic offerings.
Through its multidisciplinary format, KaniFest seeks to create an environment where traditional knowledge and contemporary creative practices can inform one another, opening avenues for collaboration and new ways of making and working together.
The festival aims to foster interaction among practitioners from different backgrounds while creating space for experimentation and the exchange of skills and ideas.
Scheduled to continue until October 30, KaniFest 2026 positions KaniHome as a meeting point for creative communities, with a programme centred on Kashmir’s cultural identity and evolving artistic landscape.
