The Government of Saint Lucia announced that the first phase of its underwater sculpture project has been placed on the seabed off the west coast. The Dive Park at Anse La Verdue in Canaries serves as the starting point for a three-park corridor that will also feature a Snorkel Park and a Conservation Park. Those additional sites are intended to broaden access and emphasize marine education alongside cultural storytelling. The project draws on local input gathered through a 2024 national storyboard competition that invited Saint Lucians to shape the narrative presented beneath the waves.
Tourism Minister Ernest Hilaire described the effort as centered on community ownership from its inception. “Most importantly, this is a project about ownership. We asked Saint Lucians to help tell the story of Saint Lucia and our artists and community creatives contributed the ideas from which these sculptures were developed,” Hilaire said according to the government’s announcement. “We are therefore not simply presenting Saint Lucia to the world; we are allowing Saint Lucians to define how our history and heritage are presented to the world,” he added. Hilaire stated his hope that divers would leave with greater appreciation for the resilience of the island’s people, the richness of its culture and the shared duty to safeguard heritage for future generations.
Sculptures honoring figures such as Dame Pearlette Louisy, Saint Lucia’s first female Governor-General, along with Nobel laureates Sir Arthur Lewis and Derek Walcott, form part of the collection. The works trace stages of the nation’s past from indigenous history through first contact, colonial conflict, slavery, emancipation and modern identity. A public exhibition held on August 29 and 30, 2026 at the Odsan Warehouse allowed residents to view the pieces before submersion. The display, open free of charge from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, constituted the country’s first National Exhibition linked to the underwater parks.
Materials selected for the sculptures include weathering steel and glass-reinforced plastic chosen for durability and their capacity to function as artificial reefs. The Government of Saint Lucia noted that the structures are designed to support coral growth and enhance marine biodiversity over time. This environmental role aligns with the island’s broader blue economy strategy that connects tourism development to conservation objectives. The initial site reaches depths between 35 and 40 feet, suitable for the dedicated dive experience.
Caribbean Journal reported that underwater sculpture parks have become an increasingly popular part of the Caribbean dive and snorkel experience with Grenada pioneering the concept through its Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park. The Grenada Tourism Authority has documented sustained growth in marine tourism linked to the site including a 20 percent rise in visitor arrivals above pre-pandemic levels by 2024. Saint Lucia’s project adds to 22 existing natural dive sites around the island while aiming to ease pressure on natural reefs through its artificial structures. Installation of the first phase was completed ahead of the winter 2026-2027 season following presentations to international media and tourism professionals in September.
The Voice St. Lucia indicated that the full corridor envisions up to 200 iconic sculptures distributed across five galleries in the history-focused Dive Park alone. Further phases at locations including Anse Fere in Ciceron will introduce the Snorkel Park centered on culture and the Conservation Park that doubles as an underwater observatory. Development followed feasibility studies begun in 2024 and involved collaboration among local artists, government agencies and community representatives. Authorities have positioned the initiative as a legacy project intended to engage Saint Lucians in both its creation and ongoing stewardship.
