In a time of escalating environmental crises and ocean degradation, art can play a powerful role in shifting mindsets, sparking dialogue, and inspiring collective action. Recognizing this, the REMEDIES program, working to eliminate plastic pollution and restore the health of Mediterranean marine ecosystems, has placed artistic engagement at the heart of its public outreach strategy.
Led by Impact Hub Athens, Work Package 6 (WP6) of the REMEDIES program focuses on awareness-raising, civic engagement, and behavioral change. One of its most creative pillars is the Artists’ & Researchers’ Residencies: a series of site-specific residencies that invite artists and researchers from REMEDIES demo sites to curate and/or create original works aligned with the project’s mission.
These residencies are not merely artistic showcases. They serve as critical interventions in local communities, turning data into experience, science into emotion, and marine litter into public narrative. Through design, street art, and participatory formats, they contribute to the cultural shift needed to phase out single-use plastics and embrace zero-waste living.
Second Residency: Collective Visual Narratives at EXIT Festival
Alongside Rajmonda Zajmi’s eco-fashion show, another artistic intervention enriched the EXIT Festival residency. Visual artist Turrdl engaged directly with festival visitors, inviting them to share their thoughts and messages about this year’s EXIT edition, the ocean, and environmental protection. Over the course of four days, these collective reflections were transformed into a powerful, large-scale visual artwork—a living tapestry of community voices on sustainability and ocean preservation.
This participatory artwork captured the spirit of the festival and turned it into a creative conversation about responsibility and hope for the planet’s future.
