Over the past four years, the Turtle Tide Art Project has grown into something truly special—celebrating local creativity, engaging our community and visitors, and raising meaningful funds for nonprofit organizations across Edisto. Thanks to the support of our sponsors, artists, bidders, and beneficiaries, the project has exceeded expectations year after year and become a signature Chamber initiative.
With that success in mind, we want to share an important
update: the Chamber will be taking a planned pause on the
Turtle Tide Art Project in 2026, with the intention of returning
in 2027.
This decision was made thoughtfully and with the longterm health of the program at the forefront. Taking a year off will allow us to:
• Refine and formalize the sponsor selection process,
ensuring clear parameters and fairness as interest in the
project continues to grow
• Create renewed excitement and momentum by placing
some space between the most recent auction and the
next
• Give the Chamber time to focus on other priorities,
including advancing key initiatives outlined in our
strategic plan
We also recognize that Turtle Tide has become an important fundraising opportunity for several nonprofit organizations. While the project will not take place this year, our goal in pausing is to strengthen the program so it can continue to deliver strong, sustainable impact in the future. This pause
also allows nonprofits additional time to collaborate with potential sponsors and prepare for the next application cycle. Looking ahead, we will open an interest-based sponsor application process during the pause year. We are still working out the parameters, but a few points to note moving forward:
• Nonprofit beneficiaries will be required to be local
organizations to Edisto; with any funds being raised at
the auction spent here on the island for the betterment
of the island and/or community.
• Sponsors and nonprofits will have the opportunity to
plan and apply together. Priority for both will be given to
Chamber Members; if you know of any interested nonprofits
that are NOT current members, please encourage
them to join in the meantime. It’s a very affordable rate
(just $85 annually) and a great opportunity to get some
added marketing for the organization and their events.
To view current members:
• Non-Profit Memberships
• Church/Religious Organization Memberships
• Final selections will follow a defined review process
Turtle Tide has seen incredible success, and this intentional step back is part of ensuring the project remains meaningful, well-managed, and impactful for years to come. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has helped make it what it is today, and we look forward to bringing it back in 2027—stronger than ever.
Thank you for your understanding, continued support, and
commitment to the Edisto community.
