In Orange County, the Uproar Art Festival is happening now until August 12. The community is filled with sculptures, paintings, and installations scattered all around downtown Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough. Locals and out-of-towners can admire the art and vote on their favorites via a QR code beside each piece.
On Franklin Street, people stop and stare at the unique and quirky sculptures in front of businesses and on the street. A popular one is a life-size metal man suspended on a pedestal in front of Que Chula.
Nadia Taylor, a local and member of the town council advisory board, says this is one of her favorites.
“My favorite so far is the guy standing on his hand with the Joker nose, just being creative and artsy, and making you look up towards the sky. It just reminds you of how beautiful the day is, how blessed you are,” said Taylor.
“What’s up? Homage to Verne” by Timothy Werrell on Franklin Street in front of Que Chula.
She says she appreciates the county doing something creative to engage the community. The festival is meant to not only benefit artists but business in the area as well.
“So bringing tourists to this area for Uproar for something so big was such a grand prize. It really helps local businesses but keeping afloat, everyone’s making money,” Taylor explained.
The Uproar Festival is showcasing 60 pieces of art. Each piece is different with bold colors, shapes, and textures. Even people with very different taste in art may find something they enjoy.
Taylor said, “I think that transcribes art and it makes you just have a feeling and makes you feel something no matter what those feelings are. We can all connect on that. And I think that’s very special to have to just keep us all grounded.”
The festival is bringing in out-of-towners as well. Steve Elizondo, a resident in Raleigh, came to Franklin Street to see the various pieces of art.
“One of the greatest things about this whole region is the fact that the arts are so alive here. And it’s just something that everybody, no matter what you do for a living, no matter where you live in this area, the arts can really add a lot to your life,” said Elizondo.
Walking down Franklin, I voted myself on an art piece called “Vital Cloud.” Metal poles hold up hanging prisms of glass that reflect colors through sun beams. I scanned the QR code on my phone and I was taken to a short questionnaire that asked my name and favorite piece. Elizondo shares that he plans on voting in the future.
The piece “Vital Cloud” created by the artist ELIZA.
“I still have a bunch to see,” Elizondo said. “And I know you can vote for more than one but I’ll probably check them all out and then go back and hit the ones that I thought were really cool. And vote for them.”
Elizondo says he is a fan of the Orange County Arts Commission and enjoys the work they do.
“I just think that Orange County Arts Commission is just great work and that, you know, people should support the arts any way they can,” Elizondo said.
Emma Ong is a future Tar Heel and is enrolled in classes this fall. She is a frequent visitor of Franklin street and an art lover. She says she is excited to see all the art in the area and learn about the artists.
Ong said, “ I have a deep appreciation for art to the point where I don’t have to read it [the description on the Uproar poster] because I just already have a respect for whoever made it, whether it be like a student, whether it be someone well known, whether it literally just be a random person on the street.”
The Uproar Festival will be allowing votes on the artwork until August 12th. At the end of the event will be an awards ceremony where each artist has a chance to win $10,000 through the people’s choice award and jury’s first place winner.
Photo via Uproar Fest on Franklin Street
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