¡vamos, simbiosis! How can the arts uplift local voices, create awareness, increase ocean literacy and transform marine science? Methods and outcomes of an arts & science project at the Mediterranean Sea

Introduction Before the 20^th century the arts and sciences were deeply linked and served to complementarily discover and invent the world. In times of threatened oceans I wanted to find out how the arts can re-unite with science and contribute to sustainabilty. Therefore, in 2022, I co-initiated ¡vamos, simbiosis!. It is an arts & sciences project in Águilas, a Spanish city and climate hotspot at the Mediterranean Sea. The project is named after the biological principle of symbiosis in which partners mutually benefit from each other. It brings together international scientists and artists, the local community, stakeholders, and students.

Aim The project's aim is to reconnect humans to the sea through arts and science to inspire change towards a more sustainable future by (1) transforming marine science through arts, (2) creating artworks addressing the relation between humans and the sea, and (3) raising ocean literacy by arts and sciences.

Barriers The barriers are to (1) communicate across disciplines and the public, (2) overcome reservation of disciplines, the community and stakeholders, and (3) uncertainty of outcomes.

Methods I created artistic methods to tear down these barriers by the arts:

(1) Symbiosis Studio: the Symbiosis Studio is a designed physical workspace for arts and sciences, and interaction with the public. The furniture is flexible and on different levels to encourage interactions and shifts of perspective. It is accompanied by designed discursive formats such as Veranda Talk. The Symbiosis Studio delivers team spirit, creativity, education, and exchange.

(2) Thinking Hands: to facilitate the discussion of complex problems between disciplines and stakeholders, I created the artistic method called Thinking Hands. Artists guide participants through a collaborative drawing process on a joint issue, such as our personal relation to the sea. The result is a visual representation of the group’s knowledge and ideas. Display walls provide an overview of the collective brain. Pictures can be arranged dynamically to connect bits of knowledge and inspire out-of-the box-thinking. The participants catch ideas instantly and intuitively because the picture-based format communicates across disciplines; it also invites the public to participate in the (visual) discussion.

Results and outcomes The results of ¡vamos, simbiosis! integrate and communicate multiple views and diverse knowledge. To depict their effectiveness, I describe selected results and outcomes:

1. Los Viejos and the Sea, reading on stage: uplifting local voices, awareness

2. Rhythm of the Sea, dance performance: ocean literacy, connection to nature

3. The Ocean Universe, citizen science: participation, ocean literacy, uncertainty=exploration

4. The Sea and the City, illustrated campaign: awareness, ocean literacy, uplifting local voices

Contribution The contribution to the field is to unleash the power of arts to pool knowledge systems, raise ocean literacy, and transform humanity’s relation to the sea by the Symbiosis Studio and Thinking Hands.