Deadline: 10-Mar-2026
The Third Open Call Challenge supports innovative, community-driven projects that rethink and reshape a sustainable, resilient, and equitable blue economy. Selected projects can receive up to €50,000 for six-month initiatives that combine science, art, and citizen participation to raise awareness and generate new narratives around oceans, rivers, and water-based economies.
Programme Overview
The Third Open Call Challenge invites innovative projects that actively engage communities in reimagining the future of the blue economy in ways that are sustainable, resilient, and socially equitable.
The challenge encourages interdisciplinary approaches that bring together scientific research, artistic experimentation, and citizen participation to explore how societies interact with oceans, rivers, and water-dependent economies.
Focus Areas and Approach
Projects are expected to adopt a whole-system perspective, examining both visible and overlooked dimensions of the blue economy.
Applicants are encouraged to explore lesser-known or invisible aspects, investigate intangible relationships between communities and water ecosystems, co-create new narratives and methods, and develop sensory or experiential formats that deepen public understanding.
A strong emphasis is placed on amplifying local voices and engaging communities directly affected by blue-economy activities.
Collaboration and Public Engagement Requirements
Each project must collaborate with at least one economic actor operating within the blue economy and provide a Letter of Intent confirming their commitment to project activities.
Applicants are also required to design and deliver one public event that showcases the artistic outcomes of the project, engages citizens and stakeholders, and contributes to raising awareness about blue-economy challenges and the protection of marine and inland water ecosystems.
Eligible Artistic and Creative Expressions
The call welcomes all forms of artistic and creative expression.
Eligible disciplines include visual arts such as painting, sculpture, photography, video, filmmaking, design, crafts, and architecture; literary arts including prose, fiction, drama, and poetry; performing arts such as dance, music, theatre, action art, and street art; and other formats including digital and new media art, fashion design, and gaming.
Funding and Project Support
Successful applicants will receive funding to implement a six-month project, with a maximum lump sum of €50,000 per project.
In addition to financial support, participants will benefit from mentorship and training, access to an online bootcamp focused on PartArt4OW themes, expert guidance on participatory and creative processes as well as marine and freshwater conservation, peer-learning and networking opportunities, and promotion through PartArt4OW’s online platforms and partner communities.
Eligibility Criteria
Applications are open to individuals and consortia that meet the eligibility requirements.
Each consortium must appoint a lead partner responsible for submitting the application, coordinating with the PartArt4OW team, and managing the project budget.
Each entity may participate in only one application, either as an individual applicant or as a member of a consortium.
Applicants must be established or resident in EU Member States or in European third countries that are associated with or negotiating an association agreement with Horizon Europe.
Conclusion
The Third Open Call Challenge offers a unique opportunity for artists, researchers, and communities to collaboratively explore and redefine the blue economy through creative, participatory, and systems-oriented approaches.
By combining art, science, and citizen engagement, the programme supports projects that not only generate new knowledge and narratives but also inspire public awareness and action for the protection of oceans and inland waters.
For innovators seeking to connect creativity with environmental responsibility and community impact, this call provides both meaningful funding and a strong support framework to bring ambitious ideas to life.
For more information, visit PartArt4OW.
