Some big local names were recognized last night for their work + support in our arts community at the 2018 MAC Annual Meeting and presentation of the TD Bank Business & the Arts Partnership Awards at the Peace Center’s Gunter Theatre.

The awards highlighted businesses and individuals who have taught, served, or contributed to making Greenville’s arts community what it is today.

Here are a few of the celebrated award winners of 2018:

🎨 2018 MAC Lifelong Support of the Arts Award: Roberta M. “Bobbi” Wheless

She became Director of MAC in 1975, only two years after its start, when it had only 20 arts-related member organizations (which grew to 100+ by the time she left in 1991). Bobbi was responsible for managing the biennial Greenville Arts Festival as well as forming a partnership with the City of Greenville to create Downtown Alive – one of our favorite summertime events + MAC’s largest fundraising event.

🎨 Carrie and Skip Gordon Teaching Artist Award: Adam Schrimmer

Adam is best known for being the founder/owner of GVL-based Blank Canvas Mural Co, which is responsible for many of the colorful murals downtown (see our list here). He won based on the impact + inspiration created through his work with local students as a SmartARTS Teaching Artist, mentor for MAC + founder of the Communities of Opportunity Mural Program (COMP). He was also awarded a scholarship to attend a national arts + education conference.

🎨 Carrie and Skip Gordon Emerging Teaching Artist Award: Sunny Mullarkey McGowan

You can find Sunny in her West Greenville art studio making prints or around town painting murals for local businesses like GB&D, El Thrifty, or Husk. She was presented with this award for her artistic + educational practices as well as work as a Teaching Artist with SmartARTS.

See the full list of award winners on MAC’s website, and check out our Instagram story to see some highlights of last night’s event.

This content was created in partnership with Metropolitan Arts Council.