HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 02-20-24; 12-3 - Information Item - Memorandum - Uproar Festival of Public Art 2023 � l
ORANGE COUNTY
ARTS COMMISSION
MEMORANDUM
To: Board of County Commissioners
From: Katie Murray, Director
Date: January 25, 2024
RE: Uproar Festival of Public Art 2023
Uproar Festival of Public Art took place throughout Orange County, NC,July 14-August 12, 2023. Sixty works of outdoor
public art were placed in accessible locations throughout the downtown communities of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and
Hillsborough.The public was tasked with scoring the works to determine the $10,000 People's Choice Winner.Visitors
treated the festival as a giant scavenger hunt, exploring our communities to find each work, and then using an online
voting portal to score each work. In addition,three jurors—Larry Wheeler, Stacey Kirby, and Antoine Williams—
determined the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Juror's Award Winners.
This was a first-time event and new concept in our community.The scale of the festival and the prioritization of
accessibility made it the first event of its kind in NC. The festival accomplished exactly what we hoped it would: it
supported and celebrated artists, it increased visitation in our downtown communities during the slow summer season,
and it served as an accessible arts experience for all people, no matter their abilities or financial standing.
• 55%of the Uproar budget($110k)was spent on artist support and 55%of Uproar expenses($110k) paid
Orange County residents and businesses.
• Uproarfestnc.com saw 67,000 views during the event.
• Our Uproar Google Map had 51,000 views and we distributed 4,000 printed maps.
• 800 patrons took advantage of our Saturday Trolley that ran throughout Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
• Uproar received 32 editorial stories and statewide exposure through WUNC and Our State Magazine.
• Nearly$100k in cash sponsorships and in-kind donations raised by the OCAC's nonprofit arm,the Orange County
Arts Alliance, supported this first year.
Uproar was designed to be completely accessible for all people, no matter their ability or financial position.
• Participation in Uproar was entirely free.
• All works of art were in accessible, outdoor locations, making them easy to view by all people.
• Saturday trollies were provided in Chapel Hill and Carrboro to assist people with traveling around the two towns.
• All 60 works of art featured audio descriptions. Cleary printed signage was placed to the right of each work
following best practices in printing for individuals with low vision. A QR code linked to a Soundcloud file
featuring a professionally recorded description of the work, materials, and inspiration of the artist.
We plan to host Uproar every other year and are currently planning on August, 2025 as the next date. Following an in-
depth evaluation process,we plan to make changes to continue to improve the festival, ensuring that it continues to
grow and become a signature event for Orange County. County support for the event is critical to its success and we
thank the County for supporting projects like Uproar that enrich and showcase the character of our communities.
ORANGE COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION
Eno River Mill 1 437 Dimmocks Mill Road I Hillsborough, NC 27278
919.245.2335 1 www.artsorange.org I arts@orangecountync.gov