Virgin Islands: Multisensory Exhibition Experience

The Virgin Islands Council on the Arts (VICA) is dedicated to preserving Virgin Islands cultural traditions and promoting contemporary Caribbean culture. By hosting a new augmented-reality exhibition, the agency is finding innovative opportunities to engage both artists and the public in those goals.

Artist and curator Eliana L. Schuster-Brown created Prolific V: The Lost Gallery as a multisensory experience that blended visual art, digital media and sound design. The exhibit featured the work of multiple Virgin Islands artists and cultural storytellers. 2026 marked the fifth year of the Prolific series, with each year exploring different themes. Prolific V focused on what it means for Caribbean artists and culture bearers to nurture and protect their traditions, identities, memories and creative legacies in a rapidly changing world. Themes of futurism and cultural preservation were explored by both established and emerging artists.

Prolific V began on St. Croix. A student art competition was part of the event, with public voting for a People’s Choice prize that included free art classes. VICA then hosted a pop-up version of the event in its St. Thomas gallery, one of two venues that the agency operates to promote the work of local artists and host events for the public. The event included interactive exhibits, digital storytelling, advanced projection and education about the history of the Virgin Islands.

For more information about ways that state arts agencies support both traditional and contemporary artists, contact NASAA.