Everything to know about the upcoming arts festival!
Uproar Festival of Public Art is taking place in Orange County, North Carolina, August 1-23, 2025. It’s free and accessible to all. Think of Uproar as a big, artsy scavenger hunt. Sixty bold, high-impact, outdoor works of art will be showcased throughout the downtown communities of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough, and cash prizes will be awarded based on public voting and a jury panel of experts.
Uproar happened for the first time in 2023 after four years in the making. Born from a desire to showcase our community through the arts, Uproar became not only the first festival of its kind for Orange County, but in the state of North Carolina.
The Orange County Arts Commission, together with nine community partners, created this new event for three reasons:
Uproar is inspired by similar events including ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, MI, and ArtFields in Lake Park, SC; however, this is the first event of its nature in North Carolina. The scale of the event, the financial support of participating artists, in addition to the prioritization of accessibility, make this different from other similar festivals.
You'll have 22 days (August 1-22) to seek out all works of art. Because everything is outdoors and accessible, you can plan your outing at your convenience during those weeks. We encourage you to attend our Kick-off Party at Eno River Brewing on Aug. 1 from 6 to 9 pm. It’s free, and no tickets are required. At the Closing Party, prize money will be awarded, with both the People's Choice Winner and Juror's 1st Place winning $10,000.
Uproar features 60 works of art throughout downtown Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough. An online map will be available during the festival – check back here! Physical maps will be available at one of our Welcome Centers during the festival.
Yes! We believe ALL people should be able to participate in the arts. Uproar requires no RSVPS, no tickets. In addition, we have some free trollies to help you get around Chapel Hill and Carrboro!.
Also, our Kickoff Party at Eno River Brewing, featuring a live performance from Liquid Pleasure, is also free and open to all!
More than 140 artists from throughout the Southeast applied to be a part of Uproar. Ultimately, 60 artists were selected from six states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. They bring a vast range of experience and talent. See their bios.
Each work of Uproar art has an accompanying sign with a QR code. Open your phone's camera and hold it over the code and you'll see a link pop up. Click on the link and you'll be sent to a webpage where you will score that piece of art. Be sure to score while you're there in person, because you won't be able to do it later.
The piece of art with the highest score will win the $10,000 People's Choice Prize!
Thomas Sayre is an American sculptor and painter. He designs and builds public art projects and private commissions all over the world. His current work includes large paintings made with tar, smoke, gunshots, welding material, earth, and fire. Sayre is a founding principal of the multi-disciplinary design firm Clearscapes, alongside architect Steve Schuster. The team designs numerous civic, educational, and museum buildings.
Thomas sculpts, paints, and produces commissioned work. His art is housed in collections across the globe from Thailand to Tennessee. He has exhibited his work in a number of private galleries and public museums, including Cheryl Hazan Gallery in Manhattan and the Contemporary Art Museum and the North Carolina Museum of Art, both in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1995, Sayre received a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. In 2014, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of fine arts from North Carolina State University.
Growing up in the shadow of Washington National Cathedral, Thomas’ early art education—and his love and respect of natural materials—came from the stonecutters and the Cathedral. His education continued at St. Albans School, as a Morehead Scholar at the University of North Carolina, and at the University of Michigan and Cranbrook Academy of Art.
Stephen L. Hayes, Jr. makes art—woodcuts, sculptures, installations small and large—from found materials that draw on social and economic themes ingrained in the history of America and African-Americans. His approach is simple: “If I can’t find it, I’ll make it. If I can’t make it, I’ll find it.”
Hayes grew up in Durham with his older brother, Spence, and his mother, Lender, who were pivotal in shaping and sparking his creative approach. When Hayes was in the first grade, he broke a remote-control car. His brother took it apart and attached the motor to a battery, bringing it back to life. Amazed, Hayes began breaking all kinds of things to see how they worked and what he could create with the pieces. By second grade, his mother had given him a real workbench; she and Hayes’ brother would also bring home abandoned equipment for tinkering. By high school, he learned to crochet.
He went to North Carolina Central University, aiming to transfer to North Carolina State University to study mechanical engineer. Instead, through a friend, he discovered graphic design. His new major led to a ceramics course, where his enthusiasm and skill led to being allowed as much time as he wanted on the wheel. He threw enough pots to develop a strong portfolio, leading to a residency at the acclaimed New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Hayes earned an M.F.A. in sculpture at Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta. His thesis exhibition, "Cash Crop," has been traveling and exhibiting for nearly a decade.
Frequently in his work, Hayes uses three symbols: a pawn, a corn, and a horse to explore America’s use (or misuse) of black bodies, black minds, and black labor. Artists, he believes, are as much translators as they are creators.
Elizabeth Brim is a blacksmith as well as a teacher, living in western North Carolina. She's best known for feminine imagery in her ironwork.
A native of Columbus, Georgia, she graduated with an MFA in printmaking before studying and working with a variety of materials at the Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina. Quite unexpectedly, she fell in love with iron.
With a unique juxtaposition of the feminine and the ferrous, Brim transforms the frilly dresses, fairy tales, and gender expectations of her childhood into remarkable works of social commentary.
$21,000 is up for grabs. Here is how it breaks down:
1st Place Jury Selection: $10,000
Jury Selection Runner-up : $500
People’s Choice Winner: $10,000
People's Choice Runner-up: $500
Other Awards:
We love art and the people who make it. A huge part of our mission involves treating artists like the huge rock stars they are! Participating artists have the opportunity to win $21,000 in prize money. They also receive a $1,000 honorarium. Artists also have the opportunity to sell their work featured at Uproar. This is encouraged, but not required. Sales, including tax payments, will be handled by the Orange County Arts Alliance. The Arts Alliance will retain a 20% commission on any work sold during the festival.
Artists can sell their work featured at Uproar. This is encouraged, but not required. Sales, including tax payments, will be handled by the Orange County Arts Alliance. The Arts Alliance will retain a 20% commission on any work sold during the festival. Check out the Art Page for a price list.
The Uproar logo was designed by Charlie Dupee, a Chapel Hill-based visual artist and designer.
We believe ALL people should be able to participate in the arts. Uproar will provide a free and accessible arts experience for visitors of all abilities.
Yes - check out our lodging page for hotel discounts!
Visit our itineraries page for things to do while you're here!
Yes! Uproar is a BIG undertaking and many volunteers are needed! No matter your skill set, abilities, or availability, we can use your help and will work around your needs.
The Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) is the primary coordinator of the festival and will be organizing all volunteers.
Learn more and sign up HERE.
Yes please! The Orange County Arts Alliance is the nonprofit arm of the Orange County Arts Commission and the fundraising force behind Uproar. You can read more about the Arts Alliance and make a donation here.
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