New York—January 24, 2024—Seward & Kissel LLP is proud to announce a unique collaboration with the Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) to celebrate Black History Month. The collaboration aims to showcase the artistic talents of HSA students in an exclusive art exhibition at Seward & Kissel’s New York office (One Battery Park Plaza) on February 7 at 3:30 p.m. This one-of-a-kind event will feature 18 works of art created by HSA Media and Design students, highlighting their passion and artistic vision. Attendees will be able tto witness the vibrant expressions of young artists and gain insight into the artistic journey cultivated at HSA.

“Seward & Kissel is honored to support and amplify the voices of these amazing artists from the Harlem School of the Arts,” said Steve Nadel, partner, and head of the culture committee at Seward & Kissel, who generated the idea for the event. “When we started planning an event for Black History Month, we wanted to do something that was educational, memorable, inclusive, and would span the entire month. Since one picture is worth a thousand words, what could be better than displaying 18 paintings across the six floors of our New York office for all of February.”

This year, the Harlem School of the Arts is celebrating 60 years of founder Dorothy Maynor’s mission and legacy. HSA exists because Ms. Maynor recognized the need to provide the children in her adopted community of Harlem access to the arts. She understood the power and the ability the arts held to enrich the lives of young people. That was the catalyst that led her to create the organization, and later to build a 37,000-square-foot home for this historic institution.

Thousands of children have passed through HSA’s doors on their way to developing an invaluable sense of purpose, focus, and respect for the arts, whether or not they ultimately pursue professional careers in the arts.

In addition to the art exhibition, the event will host a silent auction, providing a platform for patrons and supporters to acquire the students’ remarkable artwork. All proceeds from the silent auction will directly benefit the students and support HSA’s ongoing initiatives. The art will also be on display in Seward & Kissel’s offices for the entirety of February in honor of Black History Month.

“I view opportunities like this, for our Media and Design students, with the prestigious law firm of Seward & Kissel as priceless,” said AK Lovelace, HSA Media and Design Chair. “Providing pro-level training and facilities is paramount in our program, but cultivating opportunities such as this, where our young artists can showcase their abilities in the real world, is everything. Their thoughts, concepts, and working understanding of the mechanics of this world are all well prepared and fed through this exposure.”

About Seward & Kissel LLP

Seward & Kissel LLP, founded in 1890, is a leading U.S. law firm with offices in New York City and Washington, D.C., with particular expertise in the financial services, investment management, banking, and shipping industries. The firm is well known for its representation of investment advisers and related investment funds, broker-dealers, major commercial banks, institutional investors, and transportation companies (particularly in the shipping area). Its practices primarily focus on corporate, M&A, securities, litigation (including white collar), restructuring/bankruptcy, real estate, regulatory, tax, employment, and ERISA for clients seeking legal expertise in these areas.

About Harlem School of the Arts

New York City’s premier community arts and youth development institution, the Harlem School of the Arts, the Herb Alpert Center, has been uniquely positioned at the intersection of arts, community, education, and social justice, and through the transformational power of the arts, dedicated to bringing equity of opportunity to every student. The institution’s reputation for artistic rigor and excellence attracts students of diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds from the five New York City boroughs as well as Westchester County and the tri-state area, which includes Connecticut and New Jersey. HSA’s alumni and faculty are counted among the most talented leaders in the arts.

Founded by concert soprano Dorothy Maynor 60 years ago, HSA has enriched the lives of tens of thousands of young people through world-class training in the arts. HSA offers its students the freedom to develop the artist and citizen within themselves in an environment that teaches discipline, stimulates creativity, builds self-confidence, and adds a dimension of beauty to their lives, empowering them to become creative thinkers and innovative leaders of tomorrow.

For more information, press only:
Seward & Kissel LLP
Nadav Neuman
nneuman@baretzbrunelle.com
914.960.4936

Harlem School of the Arts
Sam Mattingly
SMC Solutions
sammattingly@optimum.net
917.331.9375

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Steven B. Nadel

(212) 574-1231
nadel@sewkis.com