The Carolina Union has always been the living room of campus. This year, the Carolina Union Board of Directors is inviting students to help shape how that space looks and feels.
The Board is hosting its first-ever student mural competition, open to all current UNC-Chapel Hill students, both individuals and groups. The selected design will be painted in the Union’s West Lounge, giving one student or student team the chance to leave a lasting mark on one of campus’s most-visited spaces.
The Prompt
Applicants are asked to respond to one prompt:
“Community, Connection, and Cultivation: Using these three words, illustrate your time and experience at UNC.”
Designs can interpret the words however the artist sees fit. The Board is looking for work that tells an authentic story about what it means to be part of the Carolina community.
The Space
The mural will be painted in the West Lounge, immediately off the Pit entrance and just before the main building staircase. The designated space is a recessed square section of wall measuring 74 inches wide by 80.5 inches tall. Once painting begins, the mural will remain on the wall for two years.
Supplies will be provided as needed, within reasonable limits and subject to available funding.
Key Dates
- November 16: Submissions close
- December 3: Applicants are notified of the decision
- January 11: Mural painting begins
The creator or creators of the selected submission will be honored at a reception in the Carolina Union once the mural is complete.
Guidelines
All submissions must align with the UNC-Chapel Hill Student Code of Conduct and applicable University policies. Submissions containing content that is discriminatory, harassing, threatening, obscene, or otherwise inconsistent with University standards may be deemed ineligible and removed from consideration.
The Board also asks that submitted renderings be the applicant’s own original work. AI tools may be used to help spark ideas and inspire the creative process, but they should not be used to create the submitted design.
How to Apply
Applications are open now through November 16. Visit Heel Life to submit your design.
We can’t wait to see what you come up with, Tar Heels!