For half a decade, a global coalition of photographers, visual artists, nature enthusiasts, and wildlife advocates has united around a single, vital objective: granting Costa Rica’s vulnerable fauna a second chance at life in the wild. What began as a collection of targeted digital campaigns—including #TRRShareYourShot, #CallForArtists, and #TunesForToucans—has systematically matured into a unified, high-impact movement. Today, organizers proudly announce the official rebranding of the initiative to Share to Save, a title that more accurately captures the core ethos of an enterprise dedicated to leveraging creative expression for environmental preservation.
Operating at the intersection of art and ecology, Share to Save invites global creatives to contribute their photography, digital design, traditional paintings, and sculptures to raise both awareness and critical operating funds. By showcasing these works, the initiative bridges the geographical gap between international supporters and the frontlines of Costa Rican biodiversity conservation, transforming aesthetic appreciation into tangible support for rescue and rehabilitation infrastructure.
Evolution of the Initiative: Five Years of Creative Conservation
The origins of Share to Save trace back five years, when regional conservation advocates recognized an untapped potential within the global creative community. Recognizing that art possesses a unique capacity to evoke empathy and bridge psychological distances between humans and wild animals, organizers launched fragmented social media calls to action. Campaigns like #TRRShareYourShot encouraged wildlife photographers to submit field images, while #CallForArtists and #TunesForToucans mobilized illustrators, painters, and musicians.
Over successive iterations, participation expanded exponentially, drawing submissions from dozens of countries across North America, Europe, and Latin America. Organizers observed that participants were not merely sharing portfolios; they were building an international community deeply invested in the welfare of Neotropical species. Recognizing the need for a cohesive brand identity that could scale globally, the coalition consolidated these disparate tags under the unified banner of Share to Save ahead of the current exhibition cycle. This strategic rebranding establishes a permanent framework for annual fundraising, streamlining artist submissions and public voting into a synchronized global event.
The 2026 Campaign: Creatives for Conservation
The focal point of the current campaign centers on the theme Creatives for Conservation. Creators from diverse backgrounds and skill levels have submitted works that reflect a deep engagement with natural ecosystems. To maximize global participation without incurring the heavy carbon footprint and logistical hurdles of international shipping, organizers established a localized printing model. Artists from anywhere in the world can submit digital files or high-resolution documentation of their physical art; if selected, pieces are printed locally in Costa Rica for the live gallery exhibition. Crucially, participating artists retain full intellectual property ownership and copyright of their creations.
The resulting catalog of submitted works displays a striking breadth of medium and perspective. Among the featured pieces, Brazilian artist Cibele Manfredini submitted Coexist, guided by the philosophy that "the more we know, the more we love." Wildlife photographer Francesca Larrain contributed Manta, highlighting marine conservation priorities, while Felix Hinsch captured a rare, intimate morning encounter with a wild sloth in Unexpected Visitor. Sculptor Mike Toppe presented a meticulously hand-sculpted and painted clay Golden Lion Marmoset to draw attention to endangered primate species, and Costa Rican author Gloriana Freer shared Reaching my goal, inspired by a quiet encounter with a sloth on the Caribbean coast at Cocles.
Other notable entries include Darren James Sturrock’s Highlands, celebrating the convergence of Costa Rican avian life and native orchids; Carla Elissa Daaboul’s macro-photography piece Jewels in the shadows; Adrian Lopez Espinoza’s respectful tribute Levitacion; and Lizz R’s documentation of an urban bumblebee rescue titled Bee on Flower. Avian and botanical studies are heavily represented through works such as Fernanda M’s Resplandeciendo bajo la lluvia, Fer Morales’s coastal ecosystem piece Pequeñas maravillas, Artworks by CR’s mixed-media Flight to Fish, Ming Siew’s forest-therapy-inspired The woodpecker, and Miguel Pires’s atmospheric The howlers whisper.
Further enriching the gallery are Adriana Blanco Rojas’s pollination-focused Sin polinizadores no hay alimentos, Clare Goodman’s airbrushed Frog on Orchid, Camila Mata Núñez’s documentation of Puerto Viejo lotus flowers, Ignacio Campos Retana’s intimate parental portrait Donde nace la vida, Luisa Vidales Reina’s conceptual piece Creatives for Conservation executed on repurposed packaging paper, and Inês Ramos’s vibrant Postcard from a curious toucan!.
The exhibition also features conceptual and regional wildlife tributes, including Kim’s 5vor12, Isabelle Chico’s dramatic oil and acrylic depiction of an apex predator clash in Jaguar vs. caimán, duelo de titanes, Alyson Rodríguez’s scarlet macaw study Entre Alas Escarlata, Freddy’s conservation-focused salamander portrait Hanging on!, Eilyn Salas’s Sombrillitas, Silvia Fournier Herrera’s feather study Azul Eterno, Carvings and Canvas’s historical thylacine homage Gone.. but not forgotten, Nils V Hammerbeck’s Lunch Time, Michaela Schwenk’s rehabilitation-inspired Becoming wild, Daniel Mora’s Entre los árboles, Leonardo Hall’s avian capture Kings Landing, Katia Hougaard’s depiction of artificial wildlife canopy bridges in Protecting The Future of Sloths, Lindsay Martland’s Turkey Vulture, Carlo Atzei’s detailed digital illustration American Darter, Paola Hernandez Albiña’s oil painting Gorrión, Catherine Laras’s Vigilantes del suelo, Andrea Quirós’s hummingbird study Bolita de frío y fuego, Cristina Rosas’s hopeful firefly piece La luz en la oscuridad, Jacob Hillsdon’s primate capture Howler Monkey, Ola Siewruk’s amphibian advocacy piece Save the Frogs, José Guillermo Ramírez Bogantes’s Algo que contar, Teresa Clark’s tribute to a young rescue patient in Little Ponyo, and Vicky’s sloth preservation piece Sloth.
Financial Realities of Wildlife Rescue in Costa Rica
Behind the aesthetic celebration of biodiversity lies a sobering operational reality. Organizations such as the Toucan Rescue Ranch, which serves as the primary beneficiary of the Share to Save proceeds, operate in an environment of perpetual financial strain. Annually, more than 500 animals are admitted to rescue facilities across Costa Rica suffering from trauma, electrocution from power lines, vehicular strikes, domestic animal attacks, or displacement driven by rapid deforestation and habitat fragmentation.
Caring for these animals requires sophisticated infrastructure and specialized expenditures. Comprehensive veterinary care demands diagnostic equipment, pharmaceuticals, surgical suites, and constant oversight by trained wildlife veterinarians. Beyond acute medical intervention, rehabilitation requires species-specific nutritional programs, climate-controlled recovery wards, and expansive pre-release enclosures designed to encourage natural foraging and defensive behaviors without habituating the animals to human presence.
Operating the comprehensive network of rescue centers, permanent sanctuaries, and remote release sites exceeds $50,000 per month. Contrary to popular public assumption, wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centers in Costa Rica do not receive direct operational funding from the national government. Instead, these institutions function almost entirely as non-governmental organizations, relying on eco-tourism revenue, private philanthropy, corporate sponsorships, and grassroots fundraising initiatives like Share to Save to keep their doors open.
The Democratic Voting Process and Community Engagement
To foster widespread public participation, Share to Save employs a democratic voting structure where supporters directly influence the competition outcomes while providing immediate financial backing for animal care. The mechanism is simple and direct: every $1 contributed equates to one vote for a preferred art piece. Supporters are permitted to cast votes across as many submissions as they wish, ensuring that enthusiasm can be distributed across multiple artistic interpretations.
Furthermore, because the initiative is hosted in partnership with established registered non-profit structures, all financial contributions made during the Share to Save Art and Photography Contest qualify as tax-deductible donations within applicable jurisdictions. This financial incentive encourages larger contributions from patrons who wish to combine philanthropic tax planning with direct environmental support.
Broader Implications and Conservation Impact
The implications of initiatives like Share to Save extend far beyond immediate veterinary budgets. In regions facing intense developmental pressures, public awareness remains one of the most effective tools for long-term habitat preservation. By engaging artists who command distinct digital audiences, conservation messaging penetrates demographic circles that traditional environmental reports rarely reach.
When an artist translates the plight of an endangered salamander, an orphaned sloth, or a vulnerable pollinator into visual media, they translate scientific urgency into emotional resonance. The funds generated through the exhibition ensure that physical casualties of habitat destruction receive immediate, high-level medical attention, while the broader educational campaign cultivates a culture of coexistence. Through Share to Save, the global creative community demonstrates that art is not merely a reflection of the world, but an active instrument capable of securing its survival.
