Artists displaying their marine debris creations at the 2025 Gullah/Geechee CREATE showcase in St. Helena, S.C. Photo credit: Hailey Murphy/S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
In 2023 the Consortium, in partnership with the Gullah/Geechee Nation, Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce, and Gullah Preservation Society, initiated the Gullah/Geechee CREATE program to work with artists in South Carolina to upcycle marine debris into works of art. Three art exhibitions celebrating Gullah/Geechee culture, community, and marine conservation are scheduled this year:
• Saturday, February 21, 2026: First United Methodist Church, 1001 5th Ave., Conway, S.C., from 12:00 – 3:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 28, 2026: Darrah Hall at the Penn Center National Historic Landmark, 24 Penn Center Circle West, St. Helena Island, S.C., from 12:00 – 3:00 p.m.
• Saturday, June 13, 2026: Charleston, S.C., location and time TBD.
The events will showcase artworks created from marine debris while increasing awareness of local cleanups and how to get involved, organizations that work to preserve Gullah/Geechee cultural heritage, and community science opportunities.
Read about the 2025 Gullah/Geechee CREATE artist showcase in this Post and Courier article. For more information, contact Matt Gorstein, director for Development and Extension, at (843) 953-2084.