NEWBERRY, S.C. — Positive messages are 'rain-proof' on the sidewalks of the City of Newberry through a new art project.
The City of Newberry partnered with Westview Behavioral Health Services to bring more positivity to the streets.
"We just started completing a project called 'rain stencil art' in downtown Newberry," says Mary Alex Kopp, Tourism and Events Manager for the City. "Right now we have two designs out and ready for people to come see."
The art itself is unique because it's only visible in the rain. They use a hydrophobic spray product called “NeverWet” to create the designs.
"The positive message campaign was actually the brain child of Hugh Gray, the executive director at Westview after a year of a lot of anxiety and grief, we felt we needed to find a way to remind people that there's something to be happy about," Kopp says.
Two messages are already down with more to come in the coming weeks. Kopp tells us, "the first two that we have out right now is actually the city's slogan, 'the city of friendly folks,' and Westview's slogan which is 'each day is a new beginning.'"
And they are already receiving positive feedback. "It's just an opportunity to bring joy to people," says Kopp.
You can find a map of the messages by clicking here. As more stencils are added, the locations will be updated on the live map.
The City also encourages anyone visiting to pour some water over the designs and watch them appear.