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Nine Designs Selected for Sixth Underwater Museum of Art Installation

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Nine Designs Selected for Sixth Underwater Museum of Art Installation

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. – Dec. 13 – The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, South Walton Artificial Reef Association and Walton County Tourism are proud to reveal nine new sculptures designs, chosen by jury for permanent exhibition Underwater Museum of Art located off the shore of Grayton Beach State Park.

The new installation is the sixth UMA sculpture deployment and includes the following sculptures:

  • The Lost Kingdom of Artemis by Denna Ameen, New Orleans, La.
  • Mermaid. Siren. Galatea. by Raine Bedsole, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.
  • Deep Sea Three by Matthew Gemmell and David Showalter, Baltimore, Md.
  • Sea How We Flow by Elise Gilbert, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.
  • Among the Anemone by Frank Henderson, Evanston, Ill.
  • Poseidon’s Throne by Nathan Hoffman, Highlandville, Mo.
  • Bubby Barnacles by Donna Conklin King, East Orange, N.J.
  • Sunken Spores by Ashley Rivers, Gulfport, Fla.
  • Ring My Bell by Bradley Touchstone, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.  

Named in 2018 by TIME Magazine as one of 100 “World’s Greatest Places,” the UMA is presented as part of CAA’s Art in Public Spaces Program and augments SWARA’s mission of creating marine habitat and expanding fishery populations while providing enhanced creative, cultural, economic and educational opportunities for the benefit, education and enjoyment of residents, students and visitors in Walton County. 

UMA sculptures are deployed with SWARA’s existing USACOA and FDEP permitted artificial reef projects that includes nine nearshore reefs located within one nautical mile of the shore in approximately 58 feet of water. The 2024 installation will join the 40 sculptures previously deployed on a one-acre permit patch of seabed off Grayton Beach State Park, further expanding the nation’s first permanent underwater museum. 

Deployment of the 2024 UMA installation is slated for Summer. Visit UMAFL.org for more information on the timeline and events surrounding UMA’s launch. Project and sculpture sponsorships are available; contact Gabby Callaway at gabby@culturalartsalliance.com for details.

For artist information, sculpture description and rendering, please visit our website HERE.

For photos and videos of previous launches and current underwater art pieces: https://platform.crowdriff.com/m/s-K2Fg7SPBcYND_6b6

Media may use the following contacts for interviews and further information:

Melissa Wheeler, Marketing Director of the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County:
Office: (850) 622-5970
Mobile phone: (850) 319-9743
Email: Melissa@culturalartsalliance.com

 

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