CFP

PA4OW: PartArt4OW 1st Open Call

Website	https://partart4ow.eu/the-calls
Submission link	https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=pa4ow
Abstract registration deadline	April 3, 2025
Submission deadline	April 3, 2025
Have you read and agreed to the draft contract, declaration of honor, and informed consent?	Yes / No
Please indicate your readiness to commit to the Climate Pact Pledge.	(Yes/No, with optional comment field)
Where did you hear about the PartArt4OW open call?	(Dropdown options with “Other” field)

Topics: community engagement sustainable practices environmental preservation biodiversity

DICLAIMER: the information reported here are a short version of what included in the Guide for Applicants which you must read carefully before the submission.

What is PartArt4OW?

PartArt4OW is a project funded by the European Commission to strengthen the connection between society and water ecosystems through participatory art.

PartArt4OW's goal is to:

Deepen the emotional connection between people and the ocean and waters;
Raise awareness of environmental challenges affecting marine and freshwater ecosystems;
Build a transdisciplinary network to support the protection and restoration of Europe’s waters.

PartArt4OW directly funds and supports Participatory Art Initiatives (PAIs) that address critical challenges in marine and freshwater conservation. For the first open call, the focus is on engaging local communities to protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity.

Selected projects will join a six-month accelerator program (1 September 2025 – 27 February 2026), receiving up to €50,000 in funding, mentorship, and training. Participants will develop their initiatives, engage communities, and showcase their outcomes at the PartArt4OW Demo Days in February 2026. Please consult the Gide for Applicants for a more exaustive list of activities to be carried out and outputs to be delivered.

What is participatory art for PartAr4OW?

PartArt4OW defines participatory art as a process that emphasises the proactive role and participation of citizens, communities and the society at large in creative, innovative and artistic projects. With this, we mean that citizens are not passive viewers but should actively contribute to the project.

Participatory art deemphasizes the role of the professional artist as the sole creator of a creative project while at the same time empowers citizens and communities through the reinforcement or building of social bonds. Engaging citizens across different stages of the creative process is critical in creating awareness and promoting societal change for the good of our ocean and water.

PartArt4OW is looking for participatory art initiatives which will enable citizens of any social, educational and economic backgrounds, and communities (including marginalised groups and groups at risk of social exclusion), to access, understand and contribute to the scientific and social knowledge produced. This knowledge is expected to be linked to the major challenges faced by the ocean and waters (e.g. unsustainable exploitation of marine resources, pollution of the water system; human-induced climate change altering the physical and biological state of the ocean, river and water basins, etc).

The PartArt4OW team believes that art and creativity can play a crucial role in increasing citizens and communities ocean literacy and in supporting them to take action for the protection of our ocean and water. At the same time, the team values interdisciplinary and intersectionality as crucial elements for the success of the participatory art initiatives.

Who is eligible?

Individuals, legal entities, and consortia may apply. Eligibility conditions are described in detail in the Guide for Applicants. All applicants must be established in, and the project must take place in EU Member States or third countries associated with Horizon Europe (see Annex 2 in the Guide for Applicants for a list of eligible countries).

What is supported?

PartArt4OW supports six-month projects implemented during the accelerator program. Projects must:

Address the open call challenge and PartArt4OW’s goals;
Comply with participatory art principles, focus on ocean literacy, and engage local communities;
Use sustainable materials and methods, aiming for carbon neutrality.

Funding can cover personnel, equipment, consumables, travel, subcontracting, and indirect costs, following Horizon Europe guidelines. Applications must detail the project's budget and adress data management, ethics, and open science aspects of thier proposal.

Questions & Contact

Refer to the Guide for Applicants and FAQs on the PartArt4OW website for details. Join one of our webinars or contact us at opencall@partart4ow.eu for further assistance.