Cover Photo credit: Giuseppe Lupinacci
July 1–3, 2026 | Documenting participatory art and marine resilience at Mediterranean island communities
After a brief but meaningful stop in Ponza—where the team gathered insights into the island's environmental challenges, from coastal degradation to the complex legacy of overtourism and overfished waters—the PartArt4OW Sailing Lab set its course toward Ventotene. The crossing, approximately 22 nautical miles, marks a shift in the expedition's narrative: from documenting sites of environmental fragility toward territories where communities are actively reimagining their relationships with marine ecosystems through art, science, and participation.
Arrival and First Encounters
On July 1st, the Sailing Lab reached Isola Alter Ego, the second Participatory Art Initiative (PAI) of the Mediterranean journey. The vessel was welcomed at Porto Romano with an aperitif at Un Mare di Sapori, where the team connected with local stakeholders during the legendary La Manifesto regatta—a historical maritime gathering aligned with values of international, interdisciplinary research and sustainable ocean stewardship.
Watch the arrival at Ventotene
Video credit: Federico Fornaro / Raw-News
Paolo Melodia, skipper of the expedition vessel, seized the opportunity to present the PartArt4OW project to representatives of Italy's Marine Ministry, underscoring the scientific and cultural dimensions of the initiative. As the evening progressed, shifting winds and approaching weather patterns prompted a tactical move to PortoNuovo, demonstrating the adaptive nature of maritime research and the team's commitment to both safety and documentation.
Photo credit: Giuseppe Lupinacci
Walking the Island, Encountering Transformation
On July 2nd, the Sailing Lab crew embarked on a transect walk through Ventotene's inner landscape, guided by the Isola Alter Ego team—a dynamic collective including Illuseum Berlin, Lavica Ventotene, and Refunc. This walking methodology, rooted in participatory action research, became a vehicle for understanding how communities can collectively reimagine waste, infrastructure, and beauty.
The team visited the iconic "wall of bottles," an artwork and ecological statement created from recovered marine and terrestrial waste. Through structured interviews and documentary work, participants reflected on a central theme: care itself is the key to change. Whether through attention to daily gestures, aesthetic responsibility, or the protection of shared island spaces, the artists and residents articulated a vision of environmental stewardship rooted not in grand infrastructure but in sustained, embodied commitment.
In the evening, Chiara Certomà, Scientific Coordinator of PartArt4OW, formally presented the project to the local community and greeted Ventotene's inhabitants on behalf of the EU Mission Ocean and Waters. This public address affirmed PartArt4OW's role as a bridge between European-level policy and island-scale creativity.
Photo credit: Giuseppe Lupinacci
Art, Community, and Music
The evening culminated in a public event at La Deriva open bar, featuring the Komuna Maro exhibition—a transdisciplinary artistic research project from TU Wien exploring marine infrastructures and ecological transformation through cartography and collaborative practice. The singer Emilio Stella performed songs dedicated to Ventotene, weaving together history, island identity, and the maritime cultures that have sustained these communities across generations.
Despite a strong north-easterly wind and threatening lightning in the distance, the gathering drew substantial local participation, demonstrating the appetite for conversations that integrate art, science, and environmental care.
Photo credit: Giuseppe Lupinacci
Continuing the Journey
On July 3rd, before departing Ventotene, the Sailing Lab was invited to participate in the historical La Manifesto regatta, representing international scholarship and sustainable ocean practices to the maritime community. Before departure, the PartArt4OW team—including Chiara Certomà, the Raw-News production partners, and the Altura sailing crew—conducted a brief introduction for local children, planting seeds for the next generation's engagement with ocean research and participatory art.
Building the European Network
The Ventotene stop exemplifies PartArt4OW's core mission: to connect geographically dispersed communities, artists, scientists, and citizens working at the intersection of participatory art, ocean sustainability, and democratic engagement. Through the PartArt4OW Ecosystem—a dynamic map of community actions across Europe—initiatives like Isola Alter Ego contribute to a broader narrative: that creativity, care, and participation are essential tools for reimagining human relationships with marine environments.
The Sailing Lab continues its Mediterranean crossing toward the next PAI: MedSail in Naples (July 5–7), where the team will document urban waterfront transformation, industrial legacy, and cultural practices centered on the sea.
Photo credit: Giuseppe Lupinacci
About the PartArt4OW Sailing Lab
The Sailing Lab operates on an 11-metre ocean-going vessel equipped for sustainable navigation and onboard media production. Coordinated by Sapienza University of Rome and produced by Raw-News, the expedition connects artists, scientists, civic society actors, and local communities across the Mediterranean. Learn more at partart4ow.eu/sailing-lab.
Cognate Projects
The Sailing Lab collaborates with and documents:
- Isola Alter Ego — Participatory art and marine waste reimagining on Ventotene
- Komuna Maro — Artistic research on marine infrastructures and ecological transformation (TU Wien)
- CS-MACH1 — Marine Citizen Science Data Network, coordinated by CMCC
- Climate Babes & OutBe — Feminist climate justice and regenerative ocean practices
Funding Acknowledgement
PartArt4OW is funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101157247, managed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Views and opinions expressed