Header image: The flooded exterior of the Orange County Arts Commission building post Tropical Storm Chantal. Photo by Steve Murray.
Last July, the remnants of Tropical Storm Chantal dumped up to 10 inches of rain on Orange County, sending the Eno River surging into the historic Eno River Mill for the first time in its 138-year history. Floodwaters swept through businesses, the Expedition School (K–8), and the Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) headquarters, leaving wreckage in their wake. When OCAC Executive Director Katie Murray walked into the space—normally alive with events and home to 15 tenant artists—she found devastation instead. Water covering the original hardwood floors plus summer heat triggered instant mold growth.
Katie relied on her community, and people came out in droves to support the commission financially and with muscle. The furniture, floors, and walls were ruined, but the true heartbreak was damaged artwork drifting in the floodwater.
The Orange County Arts Commission, formed in 1985, established its home at the Eno Arts Mill in 2020. That year, the Commission opened phase one of the mill, creating 3,000 square feet of artist studios. In 2021, it added 7,000 square feet of multipurpose space, transforming a former cotton mill into a vibrant arts hub just steps from Hillsborough’s Gold Park. In addition to artist studios, classroom space for workshops, and a gallery, the mill hosts numerous annual events.
In 2023, the commission launched the Uproar Festival of Public Art with support from municipalities, community organizations, and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The festival features 60 outdoor artworks displayed in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough, attracting artists throughout the Southeast. In addition, each fall, the commission organizes a multiday plein air paint-out and, in December, the Holiday Market Bazaar. As the North Carolina Arts Council’s partner for Orange County, the commission also manages state Grassroots Arts Program funds and county arts grants through an annual cycle. These grants help artists, schools, and nonprofits create high-quality, diverse cultural programs and projects throughout the county.
Volunteers cleared damaged artwork, walls, and furniture, but with a full schedule of arts events, the OCAC didn’t rest. They continued to serve their community by pushing forward with scheduled events, with assistance from several nearby arts organizations who shared spaces for programs and exhibitions.
“Uproar installation was starting two weeks after the flood,” Katie explained. “So, that was intense. We didn't know if we were going to be able to do it. But we installed it, and it went really well. It was exactly what our community needed after such a disaster.” She continued, “As soon as Uproar was over, there was Paint It Orange in October, our plein air paint-out event, which takes place across Orange County. That was hard logistically, because 100 artists participate in that event. Plus, this year we needed to show the work in three venues, because the Eno Arts Mill, where we normally show the work, wasn’t available.” In November, the organization held their annual holiday bazaar, again using a new space as a host. “It felt like I was learning everything new from scratch. It's been challenging, but we’ve kept doing all the things we planned, and everything's been received really well. Everything's been very successful, even with this additional layer of complication because we don't have a space.”
The sudden shutdown of a building usually buzzing with activity was disruptive. Katie recognized the need to keep the community, which was also dealing with the flood, connected to the arts. “It’s reminded me a lot of the pandemic, actually. It's been very isolating and strange.”
Some silver linings emerged. “We've raised money and we were able to disperse almost $100,000 not just to our artists at the mill, but also to other artists in our community who were impacted by the flood. We've got funds that were designated directly to us that will allow us to invest in our capacity and help us to grow,” Katie said.
Because the space needed to be gutted, the OCAC was able to dream about ways to better use the space and fulfill some requests that they have received through the years. “For a long time, we've been toying with the idea of having a ceramic space. There really isn't one anywhere near us, and it's something that we get requests for all the time. We also have in storage a lot of ceramics equipment that's been donated to us. We decided to turn part of our back studios into a ceramics studio where we will be able to have classes and open studio time available for artists.” The organization is also rebranding itself to unify the commission and its independent 501(c)3 nonprofit, the Orange County Arts Alliance. This new brand will be unveiled to the public with the grand re-opening of the Eno Arts Mill, planned for August. Overall, Katie and the OCAC team are feeling positive about their future. “I wouldn't ask for something like this to happen again, but there are really great things that have come out of the experience, and that's what I want to focus on.”