The City of Newberry has received a Municipal Achievement Award for their work on the completion of the Newberry Arts Center. The award was presented by the Municipal Association of South Carolina at their annual meeting in Greenville earlier this summer.

The city won the award in the 10,000-20,000-population category.

Robert Wolfe, field services manager with MASC presented the award before City Council and the community on Tuesday during their August council meeting.

Wolfe said the category the city competed in was highly competitive in South Carolina.

Previously a grocery store and the home of The Newberry Observer, the building was transformed into the Newberry Arts Center, Wolfe said, with funding coming from accommodations and hospitality taxes, the city’s economic development set-aside funds, the city’s general fund and a state appropriation.

The city made use of in-house expertise and minimal redesigns to the building to keep costs low. CREATE Newberry, the arts center’s nonprofit also advocated for the effort and raised funds for its development.

Wolfe extended the Municipal Association’s congratulations on this project, sharing that it was a beautiful space, and an inviting building with a unique look to it.

“You all should be proud of this accomplishment,” Wolfe said. “It will be a wonderful resource for the residents of the city.”

Mayor Foster Senn credited former Interim City Manager Ed Driggers for getting the ball rolling with the Newberry Arts Center renovations.

“We congratulate everyone that was a part of this,” Senn said. “It was really a group effort.”