Indian Summer Festival steps into exciting era under new leadership
We are delighted to announce that Am Johal has been appointed Executive Artistic Director, joining Executive Managing Director Laura June Albert in a shared co-leadership model that reflects ISF’s commitment to collaboration, innovation, and community.
A respected cultural leader, writer, and community builder, Am Johal brings decades of experience at the intersection of arts, ideas, and social change. He is widely recognized for his leadership as Director of SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement and as the founder and host of the Below the Radar podcast, as well as for his long-standing commitment to fostering dialogue and creativity across diverse communities.
Am is the author of Ecological Metapolitics: Badiou and the Anthropocene, and co-author with Matt Hern of Global Warming and the Sweetness of Life: A Tar Sands Tale and O My Friends, There is No Friend: The Politics of Friendship at the End of Ecology. He is currently Chair of the Vancouver International Film Festival, Vice-Chair of Greenpeace Canada, and a board member with the BC Alliance for Arts and Culture. He has presented his work internationally, including at the Oxford Literature Festival.
Am has long been in collaboration with Indian Summer Festival. First as a partner through his work with SFU, then from 2018 - 2022 as a board member and later as the board chair. He most recently served as Curator-in-Residence for the 2025 festival themed 'Borderless Solidarities.'
“I’m thrilled to be carrying on with the Indian Summer Festival — a space that has continually redefined what a festival for South Asian arts can be,” said Am. “The festival’s spirit of curiosity, equity, and artistic excellence resonates deeply with me. I look forward to working with Laura June and the ISF team and building on the incredible work and legacy of founders Sirish Rao and Laura Byspalko."
In his new role, Am will guide the festival’s artistic vision and curatorial direction, working closely with Laura June Albert, who continues to lead the organization’s management, operations, partnerships, and strategic growth.
“Am’s appointment marks a wonderful evolution for the Indian Summer Festival,” said Laura June. “His deep roots in Vancouver’s cultural landscape and his ability to connect ideas, people, and art will help us grow ISF’s impact locally and internationally. I’m excited to collaborate with him in this new co-leadership model after an incredible 2025 Festival where he was curator-in-residence.”
With this renewed vision, ISF will continue to be a vibrant force in the arts and culture landscape, championing South Asian voices and stories that inspire, connect, and transform. Stay tuned for an unforgettable season that will ignite bold ideas, showcase extraordinary artists, and celebrate the vibrant spirit of Indian Summer Festival.