City Council Names Arts Facility For Retired Administrator

From the City of Greer:

“For al the work you’ve done for us over the past 20 years, Council wanted to do something that we knew you loved and appreciated,” Mayor Rick Danner said. “We knew that was the arts – something Ed and (wife) Christy have supported and that means something to both. So from now on, the Center for the Arts will be known as the Edward R. Driggers City of Greer Center for the Arts.”

“I’m a bit overwhelmed, and I don’t get overwhelmed very often,” Driggers said. “This has absolutely been the best 20 years of my career and I’ve been so blessed to have the opportunity to come here.

Driggers played a major role in renovating the arts center over the past two years, working with Greer City Council to commit $2.5 million to its renovation cost. The facility celebrated a grand opening to the public last September.

Constructed in 1953 as a Wesleyan Camp Site, the building was deeded to the City of Greer when the camp was relocated to Table Rock in 1983.

It served as the first home of the S.C. Children’s Theatre before a church entered into a lease agreement with the City and occupied the space for 11 years.

In 2015 the church vacated the building and the City embraced the opportunity to transform it into a Cultural Arts Center and develop the adjoining three-acre park. The Greer Community Master Plan, for which Driggers served as chair of the Oversight Committee, was completed in 2015 and identified the section of town where the building is located as an Arts District.

SGA Architecture was selected to lead the design of the building in 2017 and construction began in September of the following year.

The 12,100-square-foot building received a new roof, HVAC, plumbing, fire suppression system, security system, and internet technology, as well as surrounding parking lots.

Improvements to the building for programming included large classrooms for pottery and art classes, rentable studios for local artists, a theatre that seats approximately 125 guests, a formal lobby and new office space. The City was able to salvage the existing stage for the theatre, which was an original part of the building.The surrounding park includes walking trails, park lighting, wayfinding signage, an amphitheater, educational rain gardens, a playground, and infrastructure that enables the park to host festivals and events.

This press release was produced by the City of Greer. The views expressed here are the author’s own.