Leading Organisation
Duration
6 months, starting the 1st of February 2026
Location
Anzio, Italy
Located in the historic harbour of Anzio on Italy’s Tyrrhenian coast, Anzio R.I.S.E. for the OCEAN responds to a pressing but often invisible source of marine pollution: expanded polystyrene (EPS) fish crates used in small-scale fisheries. Lightweight and inexpensive, these crates are frequently lost at sea, where they fragment into micro- and nanoplastics, threatening marine ecosystems, food systems and coastal livelihoods.
Led by RawDrivers in close collaboration with the Municipality of Anzio, the project brings together fisherfolk, residents — including migrant workers — artists, scientists and environmental organisations to address marine pollution as both an environmental and a social challenge. Rather than treating pollution as a purely technical issue, Anzio R.I.S.E. places people, culture and lived experience at the centre of change.
The project combines two tightly connected strands of action. On the practical side, it supports the transition from single-use EPS fish crates to reusable, EU-accredited eco-crates introduced into Anzio’s fisheries supply chain. Fisherfolk and residents collaboratively monitor this transition through citizen science, tracking waste reduction and following the journey of fish “from catch to table” to generate shared evidence on supply chains, sustainability barriers and opportunities for change.
In parallel, participatory art transforms the harbour into a space for collective reflection and expression. Phased-out EPS crates and marine litter recovered through civic clean-ups are transformed through hands-on workshops into large-scale public art installations. A multimedia archive of audio-visual testimonies, co-created by fisherfolk and residents, captures how marine degradation shapes everyday life, work and identity, making visible perspectives often absent from official narratives.
All activities are anchored in the Marinella Art Hub, a harbour-based space dedicated to co-creation, ocean literacy and community dialogue. The project culminates in a public harbour festival aligned with the departure of the PartArt4OW Sailing Lab, where artworks, performances and citizen-science results are shared with the wider public. Outcomes, methods and lessons learned are consolidated into an open digital toolkit designed to travel with the Sailing Lab and inspire other Mediterranean coastal communities.
Expected Outcomes
By the end of the project, Anzio R.I.S.E. for the OCEAN is expected to deliver the following outcomes:
- Measurable reduction in the use and loss of EPS fish crates within Anzio’s small-scale fisheries through the introduction of reusable eco-crates.
- Increased ocean literacy among fisherfolk, residents and local stakeholders, grounded in hands-on citizen science and lived experience.
- Active participation of underrepresented groups, including migrant workers, in marine protection and decision-making processes.
- Co-created datasets documenting waste reduction, fisheries supply chains and sustainability challenges from “catch to table”.
- Public art installations and performances that make marine pollution visible and emotionally resonant in the harbour space.
- A multimedia archive of testimonies capturing the social, cultural and identity-related dimensions of marine degradation.
- Strengthened local networks connecting fisherfolk, residents, civil society organisations, artists, scientists and public authorities.
- An open-access digital toolkit compiling methods, artworks, data and lessons learned for use by other coastal communities.
Expected Impacts
Short-term impacts
- Reduced EPS leakage into the marine environment, contributing to healthier coastal ecosystems.
- Empowerment of local communities to recognise marine pollution as a shared, everyday issue rather than a distant environmental problem.
- Increased trust and collaboration between fisherfolk, residents, civil society and local institutions around sustainability transitions.
Medium- to long-term impacts
- Informing local and regional fisheries and coastal policies through evidence generated by citizen science, artistic research and community monitoring.
- Supporting a just transition toward more sustainable practices in small-scale fisheries, balancing environmental protection with livelihoods.
- Establishing the Marinella Art Hub as a permanent, citizen-led space for marine conservation, cultural regeneration and dialogue.
- Enabling replication of the project’s participatory, art–science methodology across other Mediterranean ports and coastal towns through the open toolkit and archive.
- Positioning Anzio as a reference point for inclusive, creative and climate-resilient coastal development in the Mediterranean context.
Main Investigators and Key Leads
Marcello Dato (RawDrivers) – Project Manager, leading coordination, participatory design and international cultural production
Luca Brignone (Municipality of Anzio) – Marinella Art Hub Lead, environmental and territorial engineer
Isabella di Cola (ATCL – Theatrical Association of the Municipalities of Lazio) – Participatory Art Advisor
Giulia Prato (WWF Italia) – Marine Science Advisor, marine biologist specialising in fisheries management
Manuela Mariani (LegAmbiente Anzio) – Community Engagement Coordinator
Alfonso Raiola (DUWO) – Sustainable Fisheries Advisor