Note: Andrea Cash is the marketing and communications coordinator for Uproar.
Intro:
The Uproar Festival of Public Art returns to Orange County from Aug. 1 to 23! Think of it as a big, artsy scavenger hunt. This free event has summer fun written all over it! Learn more below.
You Can Find Uproar Installations in Three Downtowns.
The Uproar Festival of Public Art will showcase 60 large-scale, bold works of art throughout the downtown areas of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough (20 in each town). Because the festival runs for three weeks – from Aug. 1 to 23 – this presents an exciting opportunity to take in the art over the course of numerous days and build in other experiences such as trying a new restaurant, visiting a museum, or browsing in nearby shops. An easy-to-navigate map will be posted at uproarfestnc.com before the festival opens.
A Free Trolley Can Help You Take in the Art.
During the first three Saturdays in August from noon to 8 p.m., hop on the free (and air conditioned!) trolley from the Chapel Hill/Orange County Welcome Center on West Franklin Street for a scenic loop that connects visitors with many of the festival’s art locations in Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
Uproar’s Kickoff Party Is Free and Open to the Public.
Uproar will launch with a Kickoff Party at Eno River Brewing in Hillsborough on Friday, Aug. 1 starting at 6 p.m., featuring music by Liquid Pleasure, an artists’ parade, art making, food trucks, and more. The party is free and open to the public.
$21,000 Is Up for Grabs.
Participating artists are vying for $21,000 in cash prizes to be determined by both public scoring and a jury panel of experts. The People’s Choice Winner will receive $10,000. Festival goers score each piece as they view it in person, on a scale of 1 to 10. Each work has an adjacent sign with a QR code that links to a scoring page.
Uproar is Building on Its 2023 Success.
Inspired by ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and ArtFields in Lake Park, South Carolina, Uproar successfully debuted in the summer of 2023 and was the first festival of its kind in the state. Uproar’s Google Map of art locations in 2023 garnered more than 50,000 visits during the festival. Since summer can be a slow time for local business owners, Uproar is designed to boost Orange County’s small business community.
Uproar Artists Hail from 6 States.
For 2025, festival organizers reviewed 140 applications (a 40% increase compared to the festival’s inaugural year of 2023) to evaluate artistic excellence, visual impact, creativity, and feasibility. Artists represent six Southeastern states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Alabama, and Georgia – and 22 artists will make their Uproar return. Uproar will feature two-dimensional pieces, sculptures, and installations. Uproar will provide a $1,000 honorarium for each selected applicant (artist or team). Artists are encouraged to sell their works during Uproar.
Uproar Prioritizes Accessibility.
Accessibility is central to Uproar’s mission. Organizers believe that art is for everyone. The festival is designed so that people can participate, regardless of ability or income. The non-ticketed festival is free, the outdoor locations are easy to navigate, and audio descriptions are offered for individuals with low vision.
Uproar Is Extremely Family Friendly.
Uproar Is Extremely Family Friendly.
Uproar is outdoors and free – no tickets or RSVP required – which means that enjoying one or more of the installations doesn’t require extensive planning. Take in the works at your leisure – early in the morning, late at night, or any time in between. Art will be exhibited in parks, alleyways, sidewalks, on the UNC campus, and more. While the 2025 works haven’t been revealed, in 2023, young festival goers loved pieces depicting giraffes, a cat, a pair of dogs, and a woolly mammoth. Many of the pieces encourage interaction for a more engaging and tactile experience. Young Uproar attendees delight in the free trolley rides as well.
An Impressive Jury Panel Will Determine Who Receives $10,000.
The jury’s first-place winner will receive $10,000. Uproar’s impressive jury panel includes Thomas Sayre, a Raleigh sculptor and painter known for earthcastings, monumental sculptures made in and of the earth; Elizabeth Brim, a western North Carolina blacksmith known for feminine imagery in her ironwork; and Stephen L. Hayes, a Durham artist who makes woodcuts, sculptures, and installations small and large from found materials that draw on social and economic themes ingrained in the history of America and African-Americans.
Uproar Features Key Partnerships.
The Orange County Arts Commission, an agency of Orange County government, is the primary coordinator of the festival. Key Uproar partners include the towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough; the Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro; the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership; UNC-Chapel Hill; Visit Chapel Hill-Orange County, the Hillsborough Arts Council, and the Orange County Arts Alliance.
Volunteers Are Needed.
Uproar is a big undertaking, and many volunteers are needed! Want to get involved? No matter your skill set, abilities, or availability, organizers can use your help and can work around your needs. Volunteer tasks include assisting with art installations, distributing promotional materials, greeting visitors at welcome centers, and more. Sign up at uproarfestnc.com.
Donations Are Appreciated.
Especially in times of uncertainty, community is crucial, and so is joy. Organizers are currently seeking 2,025 donations of $25 to keep Uproar roaring in our community.
And finally, Back Alley Bikes and Next – Chapel; Hill – Carrboro will be holding a Bike and Walk tour of some of the art in Carrboro and Chapel Hill.
