PartArt4OW & TidalArtS Join Forces at RGS 2025 to Explore Creative Geographies of the Ocean

TidalArts

PartArt4OW is set to make a significant contribution to the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) Annual International Conference 2025, taking place in London from Tuesday 26 to Friday 29 August 2025. Building on their planned participation, PartArt4OW is thrilled to announce a dedicated session organized in collaboration with TidalArtS, further emphasizing the power of creativity in shaping our relationship with the ocean.

Under the conference theme of "Geographies of creativity/creative geographies," this joint session will provide a vital platform for practitioners and academics to discuss how to effectively facilitate the exchange between creatives and the scientific community to achieve diverse and meaningful impacts on our understanding and action towards the ocean and seas.

The inspiration for this collaborative discussion group stems from a session previously organized by the TidalArtS team in early 2025, which focused on the crucial topic of knowledge production at the intersection of art and science for the marine environment. Recognizing the clear need for further dialogue identified during those initial discussions among 30 ocean, art, and science initiatives, PartArt4OW and TidalArtS have joined forces to deepen this vital exchange.

The proposed session will revolve around three key themes for roundtable discussion:

  • Identifying Missing Voices and Knowledge: Who is currently underrepresented in the co-production of knowledge about our ocean and seas within art-based participatory research initiatives? What types of knowledge are we prioritizing, and what might be missing?
  • Addressing Existing Challenges and Barriers: Building upon the challenges already identified by various art-based initiatives during the TidalArtS session, what further obstacles and barriers hinder effective knowledge co-production between the art and science worlds?
  • Exploring Potential Solutions: What innovative solutions can be implemented to overcome the challenges experienced in fostering knowledge co-production between art and science? This will include exploring the role of citizen science, the integration of participatory methodologies, and the use of citizen science apps.

The workshop will commence with an overview of the challenges and barriers previously identified by art-based initiatives working at the art-science-ocean nexus. Furthermore, a preliminary mapping of potentially missing knowledge bearers will be presented to stimulate further discussion and elaboration with the session participants. The session will then delve into exploring concrete solutions, including the strategic use of citizen science approaches and participatory methodologies.

The overarching aim of this collaborative workshop is to foster a dynamic exchange of experiences and cultivate a continuous dialogue about diverse avenues for collaboration and, ultimately, effective knowledge co-production. The co-author team will facilitate the discussion, with the goal of presenting a comprehensive summary of the insights and outcomes from this event at a relevant community of practice working group session in the future, such as the European Citizen Science Association Working Group on Storytelling and other arts.

Representing PartArt4OW at this significant session will be Dr. Chiara Certomá from Sapienza Università di Roma, bringing their expertise in participatory art methodologies and societal engagement with environmental issues. Their collaboration with TidalArtS underscores PartArt4OW's commitment to fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and pushing the boundaries of creative ocean engagement.

This joint session promises to be a stimulating and insightful contribution to the RGS-IBG Annual International Conference 2025, highlighting the transformative power of creativity in shaping a more informed, engaged, and ultimately, more sustainable relationship with our ocean.

Key Information:

PartArt4OW and TidalArtS look forward to a vibrant and productive discussion at RGS 2025! Stay tuned for the specific date and time of this exciting session within the conference program.