Indian Summer Arts Society co-founders Sirish Rao, Laura Byspalko announce they’re stepping down
The duo will stay on till the end of the year, help mount the Indian Summer Festival’s 12th edition in July
Laura Byspalko (left) and Sirish Rao. Photo by Kristine_Cofsky
MAJOR CHANGES ARE afoot at Indian Summer Arts Society: artistic director Sirish Rao and managing director Laura Byspalko have announced they are stepping down at the end of the year.
The society’s co-founders plan to pursue new endeavours.
Launched in 2011, Indian Summer Arts Society is widely considered the pre-eminent presenter of South Asian arts in Canada. Its flagship offering, the annual Indian Summer Festival, has hosted numerous notable international artists over the years, including Booker Prize-winning novelist Arundhati Roy, celebrated painter Bhajju Shyam, and acclaimed flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia. At the same time, it has prioritized nurturing local talent; visual artists Sandeep Johal and Jag Nagra, for example, have both held the position of “featured artist” at the highly anticipated yearly fest.
The pair’s efforts have also led to cross-continental projects, such as the album Jhalaak by Vancouver-based musician Ruby Singh with Sufi supergroup Rajasthan Josh. Furthermore, the society’s offerings have expanded into year-round programming and a Culture Lab, which offers local artists funds, resources, and mentorship for arts-based solutions to pressing social issues.
“We founded the Indian Summer Arts Society because we saw the need for a gathering place, a long-table feast of ideas and culture that nurtures and surprises in equal measure,” Rao says in a release. “We thought we were building a small bridge that represented our own cross-cultural curiosities. But that’s the surprising thing about bridges — they can bring vast worlds together. When I first came to this city eleven years ago, I barely knew anyone here. The many people who have supported and nurtured this festival — artists, team members, volunteers, sponsors and donors — have become my community. I’m so grateful for that, and will continue to hold them close.”
Rao and Byspalko will help mount Indian Summer Festival’s 12th edition, running July 7 to 17. The society’s board of directors has struck a committee that is working on leadership transition with the pair. Byspalko and Rao plan on remaining involved until the end of 2022 for a smooth transition and knowledge transfer, with the aim of having new leadership in place in time for the July festival.
“We’re immensely proud of what we’ve built, and as we approach our 12th edition, we know that it’s time for us to learn and grow in new ways, and give what we jokingly call our ‘first born’ the chance to do the same,” Byspalko says. “We’re passing the baton at a time when the organization is in a stronger position than ever, with a fabulous team, a caring board, robust finances, and an incredible ecosystem of artists and supporters. We founded the kind of festival that we’d like to attend, and I’m so excited to soon be able to join the incredible community surrounding the festival in the audience!”
The society’s mandate continues to be to offer multidisciplinary events that bring together diverse artists, audiences, and community members in a spirit of dialogue and citizenship.
“Sirish and Laura have made an incredible contribution to the life of the arts sector here in BC — the festival has developed a national and international reputation,” says Am Johal, chair of the society’s board of directors. “The work of founders in starting new organizations cannot be underestimated — it's an immense labour of love. The festival has truly made Vancouver into a more interesting city and contributed to giving it a more global perspective. It's a testament to the vision and leadership of the founders that we have a bright future and strong organization to build from. We profoundly thank Laura and Sirish for their exceptional work, the gift they’ve given to the city and we look forward to ushering in the next phase of leadership for the Indian Summer Arts Society. But not before they stage one more festival in July!”
More information about the newly created role of artistic and executive director can be found here: https://indiansummerfest.ca/artistic-and-executive-director.
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