Schools across North and South Carolina have until September 4 to transform their campus spirit rocks into Panthers-themed murals, competing for grant money that could help fund their art programs for the year. The annual Panthers Spirit Rocks! Art Contest asks schools to paint their outdoor spirit rocks with Panthers pride, and the grand-prize winner will be recognized on the field at Bank of America Stadium during the team's home opener against the Chicago Bears on September 13.
The competition, first launched by the Carolina Panthers, invites schools to turn their rocks into works of art celebrating both school spirit and the start of the NFL season, according to WCNC. Riley Fields, the team's Director of Community Relations, said the contest brings schools and communities together while celebrating the beginning of the school year and football season. Fields, who has directed Panthers community outreach and Carolina Panthers Charities grant distributions since at least 2013 according to Partnership For A Healthier America, also said the competition becomes more impressive every year.
Grant funding is on the line for schools that make the cut. Carolina Panthers Charities will provide grants to the top 10 schools, with the top 10 finalists using that funding to support their school art programs, per the station's report. Per SC Arts Hub, the grand-prize winner receives a $2,500 grant from Carolina Panthers Charities, while the other nine top-10 finalists each receive $1,000 grants.
How the Judging Works
After registration closes on September 4, the Carolina Panthers Kickoff Committee will select four finalists from the submissions, the station's report notes. Fans will then be able to vote for their favorite design on Panthers.com from September 7 through September 10, with the public vote determining the eventual champion. SC Arts Hub describes this same multi-stage process, in which the Kickoff Committee narrows the field before a four-day fan vote decides the winner.
Students have leaned into serious artistic inspiration in past years. During the previous season, students drew inspiration from Van Gogh's Starry Night for their spirit rock designs, according to the same account. Fields said students bring creativity and pride to their designs, adding that the contest combines art, school pride and Panthers fandom.
Free Paint Supplies for Early Registrants
Getting started won't necessarily cost schools out of pocket. The first 50 schools to register will receive gift cards to help purchase paint supplies and materials, per WCNC's report. That mirrors past seasons of the contest, when home improvement retailer Lowe's and paint manufacturer Krylon partnered on the competition to provide starter paint kits with four spray paint cans to the first 50 registered schools, according to the Carolina Panthers.
A Charlotte Tradition With Deep Roots
Spirit rocks themselves are a Charlotte-area institution that predates the football contest by decades. The tradition dates back to around 1977, when Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools introduced designated outdoor boulders as a way to deter campus graffiti during athletic rivalries, according to WFAE. Today those rocks serve as outdoor bulletin boards outside local schools, often rented out by PTOs for student birthday greetings, achievements and game-day art.
The Panthers' own contest has grown alongside that tradition. The team's school spirit rock art competition is a long-standing initiative dating back to at least 2009, when the Panthers celebrated its fifth annual contest in partnership with the Allen Tate Companies, the team has said. Since then it has expanded from local corporate sponsorships into a regional arts grant program.
Charlotte's McKee Road Elementary School has emerged as a standout repeat contender, winning top honors in back-to-back competitions in 2023 and 2024 and securing a $2,500 art grant each year. The school's 2023 win came with a History of Art design, and it repeated as champion in 2024 following the public fan vote, according to team announcements.
Part of a Broader Charitable Push
The Spirit Rocks grants are just one piece of Carolina Panthers Charities' regional giving. The organization also offers general project grants of up to $10,000 annually to non-profits in North and South Carolina, prioritizing sustainable youth and military initiatives, according to the NC Corporate Giving Guide. In late 2024 and early 2025, the charity also expanded its school support by awarding emergency grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to Carolinas schools recovering from Hurricane Helene damage, including a $20,000 grant to FernLeaf Community Charter School to restore flood-damaged athletic fields, per the school's own account.
For now, the focus is on paintbrushes and primer. Schools that register and submit their designs before the September 4 deadline will find out in early September whether their rock — and their school's art program — earns a trip to the spotlight when the Panthers kick off their home schedule against the Bears at 1 p.m. on September 13.
