Leah Duval

Leah Duval is a musician, visual artist, and arts administrator whose work centers on community building through the arts. They hold a BA in Music with a minor in African American Studies from Florida State University and an MA in Arts Administration & Policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Deeply rooted in their hometown of Macon, Georgia, Leah has led extensive community-based arts initiatives. They are the founder of the Gifted Harmony Choir, an ensemble for people with developmental disabilities that affirms music-making as a space where all abilities belong. Leah also founded F.U.B.U. Fest (For Unionville By Unionville Festival), a music and arts initiative dedicated to uplifting Unionville—a historically Black neighborhood impacted by ongoing inequities rooted in redlining.

Leah’s artistic practice has long been intertwined with worship music. At the age of 16, they began leading the choir at First Baptist Church in Macon, Georgia, and more recently served as a Co-Worship Leader at Urban Village Church in Chicago. Grounded in Southern gospel traditions and a deep love for communal worship, Leah is honored to serve as Worship Leader for the Garden Service.