Bridging Cultures Through Art: Suneetha Alokam Honored with 2024 Mamdani Arts Leadership Award
Updated: Oct 15, 2024
We are thrilled to announce that Suneetha Alokam has been honored with the prestigious 2024 Mamdani Arts Leadership Award, recognizing her incredible contributions to Calgary’s arts and culture scene. The award, presented by Strategic Group CEO Riaz Mamdani, celebrates volunteer board members who go above and beyond in their support of arts organizations and cultural initiatives. This year’s ceremony took place on October 4, 2024, at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.
Pictured: Riaz Mamdani, CEO, Strategic Group, and Sumeetha Alokam, 2024 Mamdani Arts Leadership Award recipient.
A Dedicated Leader in Calgary’s Arts Scene
Suneetha has played a pivotal role in advancing the mission of the Sarb Akal Music Society of Calgary, where she has been an active board member since 2019. As Treasurer and Director of the Academy of Indian Classical Music and Dance (AICMD), she has demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedicating over 10 hours per week to financial management, fundraising, and expanding membership. Her efforts have enriched the local community with access to Indian classical arts, and she has grown the student body to over 30, while also organizing advanced workshops and master classes.
Her vision for promoting multiculturalism led to the creation of the Montage Multicultural Dance and Music Festival, a vibrant event showcasing over 200 local artists from 15 different communities. Suneetha’s focus on diversity and inclusion has been instrumental in making this festival a cherished annual tradition in Calgary.
Adapting Through Crisis
Suneetha’s leadership was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when she swiftly adapted to the challenges by organizing online music and dance events. One notable achievement was “The Spirit of Festivals,” which celebrated the Spring Equinox across multiple ethnic communities. Suneetha’s outreach efforts involved youth and seniors, collaborating with organizations such as Focus on Senior Citizens and Youth Central to ensure the festival’s widespread impact.
A Broader Impact on the Arts Community
In addition to her work with Sarb Akal Music Society, Suneetha serves as Vice President of the Purnima Choudhury Thumri Foundation, where she actively supports initiatives like the Green Tools Project, designed to measure carbon emissions in the arts sector. She is also involved in Raga Mala AGLC fundraising and organizing cultural expos, further amplifying her contributions to Calgary’s multicultural landscape.
Under her guidance, countless workshops and festivals have flourished, including the recent Montage Multicultural Music and Dance Festival in April 2023, which featured 200 local artists. Her dedication to fostering Indian classical music and dance, along with her passion for creating inclusive cultural experiences, makes her a truly deserving recipient of this year’s award.
Celebrating Unsung Heroes in the Arts
The Mamdani Arts Leadership Award was established to recognize those unsung heroes who contribute their time, expertise, and passion to the success of Calgary’s vibrant arts scene. With this award, we honor the volunteer board members whose behind-the-scenes work makes a lasting impact on our community’s cultural fabric.
As Riaz Mamdani remarked during the ceremony, “Suneetha’s tireless dedication to promoting multiculturalism and supporting the arts is truly remarkable. Her leadership has brought together diverse communities and created lasting opportunities for artists to thrive in Calgary.”
We congratulate Suneetha Alokam on this well-deserved recognition and look forward to seeing the continued growth of Calgary’s arts and culture scene under her leadership.
For more information, please see the following video that was presented at the Mayor's Celebration of the Arts.
Using art to connect people across different backgrounds makes our communities so much richer. Showed this to my baseball bros after practice—always inspiring to see local art leadership honored like this.
https://fremovebg.com/ really highlights the important work Suneetha Alokam has done with the Sarb Akal Music Society. It's great to see her dedication to Indian classical music recognized with this award.
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Suneetha Alokam's recognition is a powerful reminder of how art bridges cultural divides, similar to the creativity behind an eggy car. Both embody innovation and connection, highlighting the transformative nature of cross-cultural dialogues in our increasingly divided world.