Broderick Flanigan is a painter born and raised in Athens, Ga. His journey has taken him from his childhood in public housing and a youthful aptitude for creating to a degree in kinesiology from Georgia Southern University​. An Art Appreciation course and a spiritual awakening rekindled a desire to pursue an art career grounded in a grassroots approach. A commitment to under-served audiences led him to open Flanigan's Portrait Studio on the Eastside of Athens in the "Triangle Plaza" neighborhood.
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In 2015 he created an outreach initiative called HARPS (Helping Art Reach Public Spaces). A mural arts program for teens was born, introducing youth to the hands-on entrepreneurial experience of the art-making process. Broderick also fosters cultural inclusion and community engagement with a series of events called First Fridays. Non-profits and community leaders come to inform residents about opportunities to become more engaged citizens.