UWI Five Islands Launches Art and Ocean Conservation Project

The University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus is set to launch a groundbreaking initiative that blends Caribbean creativity with environmental advocacy, using art to highlight the importance of ocean conservation and the emerging blue economy.

The project, titled “Voices of the Ocean: Art Walk,” will feature four large-scale sculptures and a mural installed across the campus grounds. Each piece will be constructed using reclaimed coastal materials such as ocean plastics, glass, and fishing line—bringing attention to marine pollution while promoting sustainability.

Principal of the Five Islands Campus, Professor C. Justin Robinson, described the initiative as part of the university’s broader mission to merge education with community engagement.

“As the campus expands our focus on the blue economy and the challenges of climate change, we see this project as a way of bringing these concepts to the community in an engaging way,” Robinson said.

The art walk is a collaboration between the university and several leading environmental organizations, including the Antigua and Barbuda Environment Foundation, the Environmental Awareness Group, Elkhorn Marine Conservancy, Antigua and Barbuda Ocean Trust, Good Humans 268, and the Barbuda Council.

Climate advocate and project lead Renee Cooper underscored the importance of the ocean to island nations like Antigua and Barbuda.

“The ocean is not only central to our identity but also to our future,” she said. “The blue economy represents one of the greatest opportunities for Antigua & Barbuda and the wider Caribbean.”

Cooper added that the project illustrates how environmental protection can intersect with cultural expression and economic development. “Through Voices of the Ocean, we are creating art that speaks to who we are, how we live with the sea, and how innovation can drive resilience,” she said.

Organizers noted that each participating NGO will work with artists to ensure the sculptures reflect their conservation missions. The art walk will be free and open to the public, offering both students and community members a chance to engage with the installations.

The project team is currently inviting Caribbean sculptors to submit proposals for the four sculptures and is seeking corporate sponsors to “adopt” individual artworks. Additional partners and sponsors are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

More information on artist submissions and sponsorship opportunities is available through the project lead.