NEW ORLEANS – Following a nationwide search, The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities has selected Brandon V. Lewis to be the new director of the Helis Foundation John Scott Center, a 6,000-square-foot community gathering space that honors the late artist, humanist, educator and MacArthur Fellow John T. Scott.
The center is located at 938 Lafayette Street.
An established museum educator, Lewis comes to the center with a background in developing public programs that activate new audiences and bring people together. Most recently, he served as educator and public programs manager for the LSU Museum of Art and was previously the district fine arts director for the City of Baker School System in East Baton Rouge Parish. In the spring of 2023, he launched his first solo art exhibition – “Say Amen, Somebody” – at Ferrara Showman Gallery in New Orleans.
“Brandon has an exemplary record of planning and executing diverse and highly engaging programs at the LSU Museum of Art, including a robust community outreach program for youth and schools,” said Miranda Restovic, Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities president and executive director. “He shares our vision to bring people together in dialogue about art, artistic themes and how those themes apply to everyday life.”
“As an artist, I stand on the shoulders of great artists like John Scott,” Lewis said. “I want to continue to build on his legacy by inspiring communities, and the center as a safe, collaborative space for creatives and people to come together, celebrate life and unpack hard topics with change and hope as the unifying themes.”
The Helis Foundation John Scott Center features 51 works by Scott and is an interactive community hub of exhibits, programs and experiences inspired by the artist.
“The center presents expansive ideas of heritage and symbolism interpreted through the lens of John T. Scott’s life, art and legacy while promoting opportunities that nurture connections, enhance human potential and drive social change,” a spokesperson said. “Additionally, the space serves as a modern public square: a vibrant community space empowering the public to gather, raise critical humanities questions and experience a renewed sense of civic agency and voice.”
