Linda Lewis
In 2008, Linda Lewis provided entertainment to one local Pride celebration. Eleven years later, she facilitated most of the entertainment for WorldPride NYC. Now, Lewis’s Left of Center Productions works with over 100 LGBTQ+ organizations and Pride events worldwide, and the company’s talent roster includes Big Freedia, Vincint, Betty Who, Pabllo Vittar, Leikeli47, Melanie C, RAYE, Rina Sawayama, Alex Newell, Todrick Hall, Shea Diamond, Martha Wash, Deborah Cox and many of the cast members of the hit show Pose. Lewis began her career at a mainstream talent agency, which she tells GO “was a great introduction to how the entire process worked…it connected me to major agencies and the artists they represented.” However, her own favorites were noticeably underrepresented. “I felt that the LGBTQ+ artists and allies that I gravitated to…were not getting the full recognition they deserved,” she says, “so I decided to try and find a way to get these artists to the forefront.” As Founder and CEO of Left of Center Productions, which she runs with her business/life partner Melissa Donovan, Lewis follows three key tenets: a unique roster that includes emerging as well as established LGBTQ+ artists and allies; a keen ear for client needs and goals, as well as respect for their budget; and most importantly, accessibility for all involved at all times. “Most agents book an act and technically, their job is done,” Lewis says. “I want to make sure that everything runs smoothly and it becomes a great experience for both the buyer and the artist who performs there.” Left of Center continues to thrive, despite challenges the industry faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. They got through, Lewis says, by “staying positive and being a little ‘left of center.’” –LE
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