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