Uproar Festival of Public Art took place during summer, 2023, and was the first event of its kind in NC. Uproar featured sixty bold, high-impact, outdoor works of art showcased throughout the downtown communities of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough, and $37,000 in cash prizes were awarded based on public voting and a jury panel of experts.
Uproar was a project four years in the making. Born from a desire to showcase our community through art and the arts, Uproar has become not only the first public art festival of its kind for Orange County, but in the state of North Carolina.
The Orange County Arts Commission, together with our 9 community partners, created this new event for three reasons:
- To celebrate artists. We want our community to serve as the backdrop for fantastic, awe-inspiring works of art while celebrating, supporting, and welcoming the participating artists.
- To engage art lovers of all types. We believe ALL people should be able to participate in the arts. Uproar provides a free and accessible experience for visitors of all abilities and engages the community in selecting the People’s Choice Winner.
- To support and celebrate our community. Uproar transforms our community into a month-long, interactive arts experience, generating tourism and visitor spending that will support our local economy.
