From TED talk to mud walk: a participatory art-science platform for Lake Balaton, Hungary

szabadonbalaton (“free Balaton”) is an independent platform working at the intersection of ecology, geosciences, culture, and public engagement around Lake Balaton, Hungary. Lake Balaton is a shallow and highly sensitive freshwater system where hydrological, climatic, soil, and ecological processes are tightly linked to tourism, land use, infrastructure development, and everyday human activities. Although these dynamics are well studied scientifically, they are often difficult to communicate beyond expert circles, leading to fragmented public understanding and polarised debates around environmental issues.

szabadonbalaton addresses this gap by developing participatory art–science formats that translate scientific knowledge into shared, situated experiences. The platform brings together artists, geoscientists, ecologists, engineers, and local actors to explore the lake’s environmental processes in ways that are accessible, experiential, and open to discussion. Activities focus on topics such as nutrient cycles, algal blooms, water levels, shoreline transformation, and human impacts on the lake’s hydrological balance.

The methods used include guided field walks, collective observation, simple in situ measurements, mapping exercises, public discussions, and thematic food-based interventions that connect ecological processes to everyday practices. These formats are intentionally low-threshold and adaptable, allowing engagement in diverse contexts and with varied audiences. Events were organised in unconventional settings ranging from running races and beaches to cultural venues and fine dining restaurants, reaching people who would not normally participate in environmental or scientific programmes.

Between 2022 and 2023, szabadonbalaton curated the Balatorium ecological–cultural programme series within the framework of the Veszprém–Balaton European Capital of Culture 2023. More than 60 artists and researchers, together with 10 institutions, contributed to the activities, which culminated in a week-long art–science beach festival. Across all events, thousands of visitors participated, creating a broad and heterogeneous audience for discussions on the lake’s ecological condition and future.

Artistic methods are not used as illustrations of scientific results, but as tools for inquiry, mediation, and communication. A core element of the process involved identifying key messages through consensus-building among relevant scientific institutions working on Lake Balaton. These messages were then translated and tested through co-creation processes involving artists, scientists, engineers, authorities, and holders of local and traditional knowledge. This approach allowed complex and sometimes controversial topics—such as sport fishing, pharmaceutical residues, or unlicensed shoreline buildings—to be addressed in open yet fact-based ways.

The main outcome of szabadonbalaton has been the widespread uptake of its key messages in regional and national media, alongside increased willingness by research institutions to engage in public outreach using alternative formats. In the context of EOS1.2, szabadonbalaton is presented as a practice-based example of art–science collaboration that supports environmental understanding and dialogue in a freshwater ecosystem under increasing pressure, and that may be transferable to other contexts where valuable landscapes are at risk.