On the heels of leading newcomer Pandemonium Steel Orchestra to a second-place finish at the 2025 Antigua Carnival Panorama Competition, Dr. Zahra Lake delivered the keynote address at the recently concluded inaugural Canadian Steelpan Industry Conference (CSIC) in Toronto.
Speaking on the topic “Driving sustainability in the steelpan art-form through education,” Dr. Lake told the audience present that even in Canada, where multiculturalism is protected by policy, steelpan remains on the fringes outside of the classroom.
“Steelpan is a testimony to the spiritual strength of Caribbean people, but it is not immune to the pressures of modernity. If we are not vigilant, it risks becoming neglected, relegated to nostalgia or tokenism, just for carnival, and not respected in academia or integrated into formal education,” she said.
Dr. Lake’s participation in the conference was sponsored and facilitated by the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority’s Canada Office. Director of Tourism for Canada Tameka Wharton, said her office continues to take every opportunity to expose Antiguan and Barbudan talent globally, including recent efforts in the fashion, sports, and entertainment spaces.
“We see our job as not only bringing Canadian travelers to Antigua and Barbuda, but also to bring Antiguan and Barbudan excellence and professionals to a global stage,” Wharton said. “The fact that the Canadian Steelpan Industry Conference was organized by a daughter of the soil only made us prouder to support the initiative.”
The conference was founded and produced by Joy Lapps, who is of Antiguan heritage. It was held on August 8 and 9, 2025, in time for World Steelpan Day (August 11) and saw more than 100 attendees gather at the University of Toronto, Scarborough campus to explore current Canadian trends, innovations, and challenges in the steelpan art form.
Lapps, who produced CSIC through her organization Girl in the Yard, has over 20 years of experience as a steelpan artist, educator and speaker. Over the years, she has noticed significant disconnects between steelpan practitioners across Canada. Lapps conceived of the conference as a way of ensuring the art form remains a tool for engagement and that its relevance does not fade with the next generation.
“This conference is just the beginning of efforts to keep the vibrant culture of steelpan alive by fostering a strong network among practitioners and enthusiasts for collaboration and creativity,” Lapps said.
Noting that steelpan faces the same challenges globally – lack of documentation, insufficient resources, and limited institutional support – Dr Lake told the conference, “While it is beautiful to see pan showcased on a parade float, or at panorama…we must also fight for it to sit beside the violin or piano in a grade 9 music exam. That is how we secure its legacy, that is how we honour the pioneers that came before us, that is how we honour our ancestors who bent metal into melody.”
The music educator and pan arranger, who was awarded her doctorate in Educational Leadership by Western Illinois University in May, also spoke on two panel discussions: “Steelpan Education in Canada” and “Elevating the Engine Room.”
The Canadian Steelpan Industry Conference also hosted panels to address the legacy of steelpan in Canada, preserving steelpan history and culture for future generations, and how practitioners can elevate their businesses by securing funding. Canada Council for the Arts, the University of Toronto Scarborough and SoundLife Scarborough were among the organizations that joined the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority in sponsoring the inaugural event.