Grenada’s cultural landscape is set to receive a major boost with the upcoming National Steelpan Arrangers Workshop, scheduled for April 11–12, 2026 at the GBSS Auditorium. Organized by the Division of Culture under the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Economy and Culture, the two-day training forms the cornerstone of the government’s flagship COMS-PAN (Community Steelpan Programme), a long-term strategic plan designed to reinforce the country’s iconic steelpan sector.
The core goal of COMS-PAN is to build and empower community steelpan groups across every parish of Grenada, expand equitable access to professional steelpan training, and give local communities a powerful platform for cultural expression through music. This workshop is also intentionally timed to align with advance preparations for Spicemas 2026, particularly Grenada’s celebrated National Panorama Competition, one of the country’s most anticipated annual cultural events.
Leading the workshop will be Duvone Stewart, a highly decorated and innovative steelpan arranger hailing from neighboring Trinidad and Tobago. A respected figure across the Caribbean, Stewart has built a reputation for his decades-long work advancing steelpan education and youth development throughout the region, alongside his acclaimed collaborations with top Trinidadian steel orchestras including the renowned Phase II Pan Groove.
Over the course of the two-day program, Stewart will deliver structured, hands-on training covering core skills including steelpan arrangement, original composition, and full orchestration. The initiative’s primary mission is to cultivate a continuous, sustainable pipeline of skilled arrangers across Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique. It will also serve to elevate the existing skills of both active working arrangers and emerging new talent, ultimately strengthening musical leadership across all community and national steelbands.
Cordel Byam, Steelpan Officer at the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Economy and Culture, framed the workshop as a foundational investment in the future of Grenada’s steelpan tradition. “By developing our arrangers, we are strengthening the very foundation of our bands and ensuring that each community ensemble has the musical leadership needed to grow and excel,” Byam explained.
Beyond immediate skill-building, the initiative is projected to raise the overall quality and competitive standard of performances at the National Panorama Competition. It also aims to encourage greater participation from new, emerging bands and early-career arrangers, and lays the groundwork for the long-term expansion of Panorama competition categories to include more small and large ensemble groups.
Chief Cultural Officer Kelvin Jacob highlighted the broader societal impact of the targeted investment in the steelpan sector. “The sustainability of Grenada’s steelpan sector depends on deliberate investment in human capital,” Jacob noted. “Through initiatives like this, we are not only preparing for Panorama 2026 but also building a long-term framework where every community can find its rhythm and contribute meaningfully to national cultural development.”
The workshop will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, and the Division of Culture has issued an open invitation to steelpan practitioners, music educators, and aspiring arrangers across the country to take part in the transformative training event. As Grenada continues to invest in its rich cultural heritage, the workshop marks a key step toward the country’s goal of establishing itself as a leading hub for cultural excellence across the Caribbean.