March 7, 2024

The Coastal Discovery Museum today announced a new exhibition of juried artwork by Beaufort County high school students. The exhibition will be on display in the museum’s main gallery from April 1 through May 7. An opening reception is scheduled for April 3, from 5 pm to 7 pm, with awards at 6 pm.

The 3rd annual Beaufort County High School Regional Art Exhibition showcases more than 100 works by local high school students from public and private schools, including Battery Creek High School, Beaufort Academy, Beaufort High School, Bluffton High School, Hilton Head Island High School, Hilton Head Preparatory School, Island Academy of Hilton Head, and May River High School.

"This year’s exhibition is exceptionally strong across the board – from painting and drawing to photography, ceramics, mixed media and digital art,” said Elizabeth Greenberg, Director of Exhibitions. “It’s gratifying to see how the visual arts are thriving in Beaufort County schools.”

Karen McKenzie, Director of Teaching and Learning for the Beaufort County School District, noted the benefits of arts education. “The arts are an integral part of our schools and an important component to the programs we provide our students,” she said. “And research consistently draws strong correlations between the arts and increased student achievement.”

Jurors Lisa D. Watson, Savannah-based artist, and Angela Dore, Executive Director of the Freedman Arts District in Beaufort, SC, selected the 100 works from 200 entries.

In conjunction with the exhibition, the museum sponsored a competition to design the show’s postcard invitation. This year’s winning design was created by Lyla Alford, a student at Hilton Head Preparatory School.

About the Coastal Discovery Museum
The Coastal Discovery Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is an educational and cultural organization whose mission is to provide experiences that inspire people to care for the Lowcountry. Founded in 1985, and located on Hilton Head’s historic Honey Horn grounds, the Museum offers a variety of exhibitions, programs, lectures, hands-on workshops and events, covering Lowcountry history, culture, art and the environment.