Our Story
Kyara Arthouse was built by co-founders James Compton and Pham Thi Ngoc Tram with the vision of creating a riverside trading post for the arts—a place where creative ideas, experience, and cultural exchange could flow as freely as the Thu Bon River at our doorstep.
Situated 1.5km downstream from Hoi An's UNESCO World Heritage old town, Kyara rests quietly on the banks of the Thu Bon River, where a lush garden meets a gentle curtain of nipa palm, betelnut, bamboo, and coconut trees. What emerged is more than a gallery or guesthouse—it is a gathering place where tradition and innovation meet, where local and international artists exchange ideas, and where visitors become part of an ongoing conversation about craft, culture, and creative practice.
Our family lives on-site, and this space gives us inspiration for our art and work every day. We hope it will do the same for every artist and visitor who passes through. The ultimate goal is to connect Kyara and its Vietnam-grounded network to global artistic practice, leveraging Hoi An's UNESCO status to create exchanges with artists working in similar locations across the Mekong, ASEAN, and wider Indo-Pacific region.
Cultural Preservation
We document, celebrate, and support traditional Vietnamese craft techniques, working closely with master artisans to ensure these practices thrive.
Artistic Innovation
Through our residency program and exhibitions, we create space for artists to experiment, respond to tradition, and develop new forms of expression.
Meaningful Exchange
We believe the best cultural experiences happen through genuine connection— between makers and visitors, between past and present, between cultures.
The People Behind Kyara
Kyara Arthouse is a family-run project, built and led by two co-founders whose artistic and intellectual lives are deeply intertwined with this place.
Pham Thi Ngoc Tram
Co-founder & Artist
A graduate of the National Art School in Hanoi, Tram's practice focuses on silk embroidery and textile arts, including research into intricate corners of undocumented Vietnamese art history. She also runs Meo Meo Atelier, her dedicated studio within Kyara. Her artistic milieu is interwoven with a diverse network of collaborators across Viet Nam, connecting Kyara to the wider community of artists and artisans throughout the region.
James Compton
Co-founder & Writer
Originally schooled in literature, philosophy of science, and journalism, James followed a long career in biodiversity conservation and researching natural resource trade before finding himself writing and learning at the intersection between art and the environment. He has written for several arts publications, focusing on artistic and musical practice, and helps connect Kyara globally to artists and creative practitioners across Asia, Europe, and Australia—including through the 16 Albemarle Project Space network.
The House Itself
Kyara Arthouse rests quietly on the banks of the Thu Bon River, where a lush garden meets the gentle curtain of nipa palm, betelnut, bamboo, and coconut trees. The building's distinctive 'tropical brutalism' stands as a creative counterpoint to the surrounding landscape, while its signature wooden gate—crafted by Hoi An carpenters in a bespoke upcycled design—signals the spirit of the place before you even step inside.
The main gallery entrance, with its Japanese-inspired 'noren' curtain, opens onto an exhibition and event space of approximately 75sqm that has hosted art exhibitions, theatre, musical performances, lectures, and film screenings. The house sits along a Champa cosmological ley-line running from Cu Lao Cham mountain to My Son—a detail that speaks to the deep layers of history embedded in this landscape.
Beyond the gallery, the upper floors offer loft-style accommodation purpose-built for longer creative stays, with a semi-enclosed studio space adjacent to the rooms. A shared kitchen, working tables, swimming pool, and garden complete a space designed to support both inspiration and focused work.
Become Part of Our Story
Whether you visit for a day, stay for a week, or join us for a residency, you become part of Kyara's ongoing narrative.