Six New Participatory Art Initiatives Address Ocean and Water Challenges Across Europe
The EU-funded project PartArt4OW, developed under the Horizon Europe Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters, has announced the selection of six new Participatory Art Initiatives (PAIs) through its Second Open Call.
Spanning Mediterranean and Atlantic-influenced coastal and island contexts, the selected initiatives bring together artists, scientists, local communities, and civic actors to co-create locally grounded responses to some of Europe’s most pressing ocean and water challenges. Together, they demonstrate how participatory art and art–science collaboration can translate environmental issues into inclusive, actionable, and community-driven practices.
Where art, science, and communities meet
The six initiatives address themes such as marine pollution, water quality, ecosystem health, and waste management, while positioning citizens not as passive audiences but as active co-creators of knowledge and change.
Sardinia’s Invisible Marine Microbiome, based in Alghero, explores hidden forms of marine pollution at the microbial scale. Through a pioneering BioArt and citizen microbiology approach, participants engage in scientific sampling and craft-based artistic processes, making invisible phenomena—such as antimicrobial resistance—tangible and strengthening ocean literacy from the smallest living systems upward.
In Lazio, Anzio R.I.S.E. for the OCEAN tackles marine litter generated by non-reusable polystyrene fish crates. Working closely with fisherfolk and residents, this community-led initiative combines artistic action, scientific monitoring, and supply-chain experimentation to pilot reusable alternatives and support regenerative practices in Mediterranean fisheries.
THALASSONIA, developed in Salerno, transforms locally collected marine litter into playable musical instruments. By merging circular economy principles, sound art, and collective performance, the project reframes waste as a shared cultural and educational resource, amplifying ocean awareness through sound and participation.
On Ventotene Island, Isola Alter Ego is a collective artistic inquiry involving residents, scientists, and cultural practitioners. Through participatory dialogue and circular artistic practices, the initiative explores how island ecosystems reflect broader relationships between pollution, conservation, and belonging—reimagining the island itself as a living “alter ego” shaped by human–sea interactions.
Along Naples’ western coastline, MEDSAIL – Mediterranean Ecologies and Co-Design through the Sailing Art Inclusive Lab engages local communities in co-design processes that unite artists, scientists, and residents. The project creates shared knowledge, artworks, and public events that reveal environmental challenges, amplify marginalized voices, and support socially inclusive coastal transformations.
Finally, WIPES OUT! Turning Hidden Pollution into Shared Action, based between Barcelona and Badalona, addresses the often-overlooked pollution caused by flushed wet wipes. Through performances, collective actions, and an open-source toolkit, the project mobilises citizens, fishers, scientists, and decision-makers, enabling awareness-raising and the replication of solutions in other coastal communities.
Participation as a long-term commitment
Across all six initiatives, participation is not symbolic but structural. Citizens contribute local knowledge, scientific data, and artistic expression, fostering long-term engagement and strengthening ocean and water literacy rooted in real places and lived experience.
Each initiative will take part in the PartArt4OW Accelerator Programme and connect with the PartArt4OW Sailing Lab, a mobile platform for knowledge exchange and experimentation travelling across European waters.
PartArt4OW (Participatory Art for Society Engagement with Ocean and Water) is a Horizon Europe–funded project supporting 19 interdisciplinary, inclusive, and ethically grounded initiatives that combine artistic creation, scientific knowledge, and civic engagement to address ocean and water basin challenges across Europe.
Media Contact
Name: Carolina Dopico
Role: Communications Manager
Email: contact@partart4ow.eu
Website: www.partart4ow.eu