E mālama i ke kai: Hawaiʻi Sea Grant's Youth Ocean Art Exhibit

The University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant) is proud to present its annual sci-art exhibit featuring youth ocean art. Running concurrently at three locations across Honolulu, this inspiring multi-venue gallery showcase highlights the creativity, deep cultural ties, and ecological understanding of local keiki (grades 3–12) expressing their unique relationships with the ocean.

Opening in early June, the exhibition aligns directly with global celebrations for World Ocean Day (June 8) and stands as a foundational community contribution to Hawaiʻi’s statewide 2026 declaration of "Makahiki Kuleana Kahakai: The Year of Our Coastal Kuleana". By focusing on youth voices, the exhibit turns the concept of shared coastal responsibility into creative community action.

The exhibition is a direct community extension of the "Symphony of the Hawaiʻi Seas". The Symphony began as a one-of-a-kind collaboration among cultural practitioners, marine science researchers, animators, educators, and composers who transformed stories based on observations and understanding of the ocean into a symphonic experience. Seeking to amplify the voices of the next generation, students across Oʻahu were invited to share their own voices, understandings, and visions for the future of Hawaiʻi’s ocean.

The resulting exhibition is centered entirely around the theme: "E mālama i ke kai, a mālama ke kai iā ʻoe" (Care for the ocean and the ocean will care for you). Through the eyes of Hawaiʻi’s youth, visitors will be reminded that our connection to the sea is not only ecological, but also cultural, emotional, and deeply personal.

Please visit seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/symphony-of-hawaii-seas-art for more information.