Three Nanaimo residents have been recognized for their efforts and contributions to the city’s culture.
The City of Nanaimo announced that award-winning musician Paul Gogo, Bhangra dancer Sukhi Sangha and world champion Highland dancer Annalise Lam are the recipients of this year’s City of Nanaimo Culture Awards.
Gogo was awarded for Excellence in Culture, which is given to “an organization or individual that has achieved regional and/or national recognition on the field of the arts … and is a significant inspiration to others.”
The keyboardist for the rock band Trooper since 1995, Gogo received two highly coveted awards in 2023: induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Canada’s Walk of Fame.
The musician has also actively contributed to the community through projects where he served as a songwriter, producer and videographer and has made a significant impact through performances at schools and seniors residences.
The Honour in Culture award was given to Sangha for her “dedication and support of the development of the culture fabric of Nanaimo,” noted the release.
Sangha is the founder of Vancouver Island Bhangra and through her cultural education and outreach in the sharing and promotion of Bhangra – a type of Indian folk dance of the Punjab area – she has fostered inclusivity, cultural education and preservation.
The dancer also serves as a volunteer on the board of directors for the Crimson Coast Dance Society.
The release also recognized Lam as an up-and-coming cultural leader of the city, naming her the Emerging Cultural Leader this year. Recipients of this award are people under 30 years of age who have been acknowledged by their peers and the community as a whole to have given distinguished service in arts and culture.
Lam is the first Highland dancer from Nanaimo to win a world championship, and the first dancer from Vancouver Island to win it in 40 years. Last year, she was also selected to represent Canada in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and perform at Edinburgh Castle.
Gogo, Sangha and Lam will be honoured at a ceremony at the Port Theatre on April 3. While tickets are free, they will need to be reserved at www.porttheatre.com.
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