Celebrating Years – By Jeressa Jeremy
Celebrating Years Hell Gate
The Hell’s Gate Steel Orchestra—the world’s oldest continuously operating steel ensemble—has officially reached its 81st year.
The milestone was acknowledged during Tuesday’s launch of the Creative Arts Initiative at the John E St. Luce Conference Centre, where the orchestra was highlighted as a foundational element of Antigua and Barbuda’s cultural identity ahead of CHOGM 2026.
Founded in 1945 in the Point area of St. John’s, the ensemble began as a “housecoat band” using makeshift instruments such as biscuit tins and automotive clutch housings.
Over eight decades, the group evolved into a professional orchestra, becoming the first steel band to perform in a church in 1950 and winning the nation’s inaugural steel band competition.
Its continuous operation since the mid-1940s has earned it global recognition as a cultural pioneer.
The launch, themed “How to Make a Commonwealth Quilt,” featured a performance by a student of the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS) who is also a member of the orchestra.
The inclusion of the 81-year-old institution served to demonstrate the “weaving” of heritage and youth, a central focus for the upcoming Commonwealth People’s Forum.
