Working Waterfronts
Photography of Virginia’s Oyster Aquaculture Industry
Created and produced by Virginia Sea Grant, this project is a two-part photo exhibition showcasing the passion, craftsmanship and dedication that make up Virginia’s aquaculture community. It also aims to educate the public about aquaculture and the extensive farm-to-table process behind Virginia’s oysters.
Aquaculture operations and the people behind them are the heart of this project, and we are spotlighting businesses to fellow industry members and consumers across the Tidewater region and beyond. There is no cost to participate, and we aim to use this opportunity as a chance to educate consumers about the work our farmers do every day to supply some of Virginia’s finest seafood.
About the Exhibit
Working Waterfronts: Photography of Virginia’s Oyster Aquaculture Industry will be presented at Virginia Sea Grant’s Coastal Leadership Conference on October 14, 2026. The biennial marine and coastal science conference brings together graduate and undergraduate students, nonprofits, policymakers, resource managers and other coastal leaders from across the commonwealth.
Working Waterfronts Overview
Our Goal
The goal of this project is to expand public knowledge of Virginia’s oyster aquaculture and seafood industry. The project honors the commonwealth’s seafood heritage by supporting local aquaculture businesses and building public understanding of the time, labor, environmental stewardship and people behind shellfish aquaculture farms and hatcheries in the Tidewater region.
Why Photography?
Photography is a universal language. By documenting the culture of Virginia’s working waterfronts through a visual medium, the exhibition will cultivate an environmentally literate public and increase awareness of oyster aquaculture in the commonwealth.
Exhibition Preview
VASG will preview Working Waterfronts at its Coastal Leadership Conference (CLC) prior to a larger unveiling in 2027. Over the next year, we hope to expand the project to include undergraduate photographers and more aquaculture operations, and to showcase the photographs at local exhibit spaces so the public can engage with the stories of oyster aquaculture in Virginia. By starting at the CLC, we can determine what is needed to scale up the project successfully before its unveiling.
Coastal Leadership Conference
October 14, 2026 | 6 to 8:30 p.m. | Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront
www.coastalconference.vaseagrant.org
Coastal Leadership Conference Reception: Businesses will be provided with two free tickets to the reception, including a complimentary dinner and a chance to talk with conference attendees about their business and experience with the project.
Project Process
Virginia Sea Grant’s digital storyteller, Bayleigh Albert, works with each participating business to schedule a visit to photograph day-to-day operations and behind-the-scenes processes. The goal is to capture a typical day in the life of processing oysters and the people behind the work.
Timeline
- August 2026: Photography day at participating businesses.
- October 2026: Showcase Working Waterfronts at the Coastal Leadership Conference.
- Summer 2027: Unveiling of full showcase at public exhibition space. Date TBD.
Contact
Bayleigh Albert, digital storyteller
bialbert@vaseagrant.org
804-684-7182 Point, VA 23062
Exhibition Survey
We would greatly appreciate your feedback on your experience viewing the Working Waterfronts Exhibition! Your thoughts will help us improve the exhibition when it is released in 2027 as a traveling exhibition. Please take a moment to complete the short survey (1-2 minutes).
