Talk of the Town: Chapel Hill Mixtape

TALK OF THE TOWN: CHAPEL HILL MIXTAPE
A creative writing, performance, and recording series, 2025-2026

Talk of the Town is meant to amplify the intergenerational narratives of those who call Chapel Hill home.

In September 2025, we opened a call for creative writers, poets, emcees, lyricists, and storytellers to be part of this effort led by Chapel Hill Poet Laureate Dr. Donovan Livingston. Throughout 2026, selected applicants have worked alongside Donovan in writing workshops and recording sessions to contribute to this collaborative community mixtape.

Listening Party

The mixtape will be released at a listening party in November 2026 (details coming soon!). Contributing community members will be invited to perform their poems for a live audience.

Selected community members who will be featured in this mixtape:
- Amanda Bennett
- Raquel Harris
- Kodi Maier
- Judy McCord
- Sonny McWilliam
- Matt Murchison
- Owen Russell
- Karen Setty
- Emily Shearer
- Matthew Taylor
- Alys Traylor
- Crystal Waters
- Liza Wolff-Francis
In the mixtape, participants each respond to one of the following prompts with an original poem:
- Describe what is beautiful about your life in Chapel Hill.
- What has changed about Chapel Hill, and how has that changed you?
- Describe a physical place in Chapel Hill that makes you feel any of the following ways: hopeful, inspired, curious, challenged, or conflicted
- In 2026, the Town of Chapel Hill celebrates the 175th anniversary of its incorporation. If you could offer words of wisdom to Chapel Hill residents 175 years in the future, what would you say?
Design preview; Artwork by Alison Hawkins

Blurring the lines between music and visual design, our newest artistic bus (w)rap, designed by Alison Hawkins, is closely connected to Talk of the Town and features lyrics from the mixtape.

Debuting in late summer 2026, the bus wrap may become the visual counterpart to musical programming on the bus, known as “bus raps.” These may include live, onboard performances, across multiple genres, where local musicians and poets share their talents with commuters.

More details coming soon! In the meantime, learn more about this project and explore our past Art + Transit installations.

Sponsored by Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture, Chapel Hill Public Library, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Music.