Collaborators

Trained in various vocal, acting, and dance techniques since childhood, DeVante Lewis is a multi- disciplinary theater artist. Lewis has performed, directed, or written a variety of plays as well as various community productions, performances, and music videos. Lewis gained major media attention while working with the internationally known pseudonym artist & film director, Banksy. He also began work with the nationally acclaimed, Downtown Urban Theatre Festival as their coordinator and helped establish the New York Urban Film Fest which later became the Downtown Urban Arts Festival, now with a poetry and music wing, in congruency with DUTF. Lewis has also been featured in a number of art installations such as Mirror/ Echo/ Tilt at the New Museum. With a passion for fine arts and his motto "art for the people, not the masses," Lewis has always immersed himself in theatre, music, and culture.

A local Bronx newspaper once described DeVante as "a theater artist creating space for black and queer people." Honing his theater arts knowledge by reading various works by James Baldwin, Amiri Baraka, Andrienne Kennedy, and other contemporary artists like Suzan Lori Parks and Tarrell Alvin McCraney; Lewis learned through these artists that an essential part of social revolution was constructed through theater and storytelling. DeVante intensely studied the Black Arts Movement of the 1960's and 70's. He describes himself as a griot, bringing focus to culturally centered stories of the Black diaspora. He is the G.I.R.L.S. N Da Hood’s data analyst. Lewis is the founder of The Writher’s Project, a space created for young femme writers of color to express their personal narratives in fun and empowering ways. This initiative was inspired by his involvement in G.I.R.L.S N Da Hoodwith the intention to share back research findings with the community in creative, innovative, and engaging ways. He holds space both in public schools throughout the Bronx and community spaces for young people to find their voice in liberation for themselves and their community.

DeVante has also fervently studied "circle keeping," a modality of restorative justice, as an indigenous practice for black and brown folk in order to have conversation, share information, and tell stories. Lewis looks forward to working more in depth with communities in extracting unique, palpable stories in the most empowering ways, inspiring others like him, to do any and all that one can dream of when we put the mind and work in it.

Check out some of his work here.