Respect
Make room for each person’s voice and experience.
Chewstick /
OUR STORY
A place for every story.
Chewstick is a Bermudian cultural arts movement built on the belief that everyone has a story worth hearing. Since 2003, we have brought people together to create, listen and find common ground.
OUR PURPOSE
To empower one.
To enrich all.
When someone finds the confidence to share their story, the people listening gain something too.
The Chewstick Foundation empowers storytelling, creative expression and social justice to enrich youth, arts, culture and community.
Our Community Programmes make space for people to explore who they are, encounter different perspectives and contribute to Bermuda’s cultural life. Open Mic, Community Art and Retreats are running today, bringing people across backgrounds and generations into shared creative experiences.
A welcoming room, an attentive audience or a mural made together can open conversations that everyday life leaves little room for. We seek to nurture belonging, understanding and community healing through that exchange.
Our charitable purpose & governanceThe values we share.
Freedom
Create space to express, explore and be yourself.
Love
Meet people with care, generosity and a sense of belonging.
Truth
Speak honestly. Listen closely. Keep learning.
A movement with roots.
2003Where the story began
Founder Gavin Djata Smith and a circle of artists, including co-founder Najib Chentouf, helped build the Neo-Griot Movement. Its name draws on the West African tradition of storytellers who carry a community’s history.
The Chewstick Foundation became Bermuda registered charity #857 in 2009. From the early lounges to youth poetry, festivals and the Culture Hub, our history has been shaped by the people who kept showing up—and who continue to do so.
Explore our historyCome as you are.
Bring a story, a skill, an idea—or simply your willingness to listen.