Ocean Future School Lab

Creator: Institute for Art and Innovation|Art form: Crafts, Digital media, Performing arts, Visual arts|Knowledge valorisation : Co-creation, Outreach|Place: Berlin and Kiel,Germany|Location : Offline, Exhibition|Target group: Students / youngsters|Domains: Climate Action and Environment|Duration : Participatory process
Credit IFAI
Credit IFAI

Co-creation workshops to shape positive blue futures

Challenge: To encourage the next generation to imagine and shape positive blue futures by fostering co-creation, critical thinking, and environmental stewardship at the intersection of art, science, and education.

Marine protection means climate protection! In many cases, this fails due to a lack of cooperation. Strong shared images and visions based on knowledge and values are therefore needed to generate understanding for urgently needed, sustainable concepts and, above all, the will to implement these promptly with combined forces. Following the successful Ocean Future Lab in 2022 (funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research), the School Lab is now aimed at children to teach them how to ‘think in positive images of blue futures’.

They can develop ideas about the sustainable use of the oceans, discover innovative conservation projects and get to know local stakeholders and (political) leaders.

Collaboration with educators is an essential part of the Ocean Future School Lab: the marine topics can be excellently related to school subjects: Biology, natural sciences, geography, ethics and political education.

Educational materials are developed to enhance participants’ understanding of sustainability and the Blue Economy. Participants explore in a playful way sustainable solutions, identify key stakeholders, and create their own visions for thriving, healthy oceans and seas.

Pupils worked on the following key questions:

  1. All water flows into the sea: What values and principles guide our treatment of rivers and oceans?
  2. Responsibility for the oceans: Who will be responsible for the oceans, coasts, and seas in the future?
  3. Use of the oceans: How should we use the seas and oceans sustainably in the years ahead?
  4. Perception of the oceans: How do we see, feel, and value the ocean?
  5. Acting for the sea: Can we become “citizens of the sea”?

Participants also developed oversized sea creature sculptures, scenario-based stories, and interactive presentations shown at public events. One highlight was the Kiel Ocean Summit, where students met ocean experts and engaged in knowledge exchange with ocean protection and restoration groups from Germany. Their artistically created works were exhibited during the Open Day at Reinhold Burger School (17.01.2025).

Contact : Nicole Loeser, IFAI

Resources needed

Each topic is dealt with in 10 sessions of 90 minutes each (so 50 sessions overall). Once-weekly sessions are possible, as are compact project days.
• 1 session for the Introduction of the respective topic
• 4 sessions for Research (marine innovations, stakeholders, and science)
• 3 sessions for Future narratives development (scenographic approaches in which future narrative and scenes are developed co-creatively)
• 2 sessions for Visualisation and Performances (supported by a professional from the team of the Institute for Art and Innovation in designing the images)
• 1 excursion (involving marine stakeholders, NGOs, exhibition, or summit)
• 1 final presentation and exhibition (at the school or publicly)
To replicate, the following resources are recommended depending on group size:
• 2–3 facilitators (1 educator, 1 artistic mentor, min. 1 ocean/science expert)
• Materials for prototyping, visual design, and creative tools
• Access to stakeholders (NGOs, scientists, policymakers)
• Budget estimate: €7,000–€10,000 (incl. materials, facilitation, travel, and event space)
• Space requirements: School or local cultural/educational facility, ideally with room for workshops and exhibition

Purpose of artistic intervention

Art enables emotional connection, imagination, and engagement. While science offers facts, art helps translate complex information into tangible experiences, fostering empathy, awareness and systems thinking. Through artistic expression—such as visual storytelling, speculative design, and participatory performance—students could express their visions for coexistence between species, giving form to abstract future scenarios.
By integrating art into the process, the OFsL bridges the gap between scientific data and personal responsibility, turning students into active storytellers of positive ocean futures.

Positive impacts

Quantitative impact:
• 10 core participants (OFsL pilot workshops)
• 447 pupils and 60 teachers (Kiel Ocean Summit engagement)
• 200+ visitors during the Reinhold Burger School Open Day
• 1 new European Blue School certification (Reinhold Burger School, Dec. 2024)
• 2500+ web visits on www.universal-sea.org
Qualitative impact:
• Increased ocean literacy and systems thinking among youth
• Strengthened creative confidence and ability to communicate complex issues
• Deepened stakeholder engagement between education, science, and civil society
• Integration of ocean topics into local curricula and school culture

Replication

Tips for adapting in other regions:
• Localize content: Use regional ocean issues and case studies
• Partner with local NGOs, marine institutes, or Blue School networks
• Involve artists familiar with co-creation and participatory formats
• Start small: Pilot with one class or age group, then scale
• Include hybrid options (e.g. online expert calls or digital exhibitions) if needed
OFsL is highly adaptable and scalable—applicable to coastal, urban, and inland contexts alike.