June 23, 2015 | Porges, Hamlin, Knowles & Hawk, P.A.
In the autumn of 2014 the attorneys of the Young Lawyers’ Division of the Manatee County Bar Association knew they wanted to provide student artwork to brighten the halls of the new Manatee County Judicial Center, but they did not know quite how to go about accomplishing the task. Attorney Bryony Swift, an Associate at Porges, Hamlin, Knowles & Hawk, P.A., previously interned at a government building decorated with student artwork, so she volunteered to reach out to her previous supervisor regarding the particulars of such a program. Later that very day, Ms. Swift contacted the Director of Visual Programming for Manatee County Schools, Dr. Zadda Bazzy, and Art Creations for the Courthouse began to take shape.
Next, the Art Creations committee chairs, Anne Breitinger and Bryony Swift met with the head of Court Administration to discuss the Art Creations program. It quickly became clear to the young lawyers that they would need grant funds to finance the art exhibit. The young lawyers applied for a grant from the Young Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar. Ms. Swift traveled to the Florida Bar YLD Affiliate Outreach Conference in St. Petersburg to present the grant proposal to the Board of Governors. Not only was the Manatee County YLD grant proposal fully funded, but it was also awarded one of three Gold Awards for outstanding: concept, written presentation, and oral presentation.
With the grant funds, Ms. Breitinger and Ms. Swift ordered high-tech, locking frames, so that the student artwork could be easily displayed and rotated annually. Once the frames were delivered, Ms. Breitinger and Ms. Swift met with Dr. Bazzy at the Manatee County School Administration Building to select the art for the exhibit. Ms. Swift framed the art and delivered it to Court Administration at the Judicial Center, where it was promptly hung outside courtroom 5B. The bold display features art created by talented students from kindergarten through 12th grade, and it adds vibrancy to the area of the Courthouse most likely to be visited by young people.
The Young Lawyers’ Division of the Manatee County Bar Association is hosting a reception, on June 2, 2015, to celebrate the accomplished student artists who have contributed to Art Creations for the Courthouse.
