The Impact of Ocean Literacy and Nature-based Reef in Malmö

The sea, just like the city, should belong to all of us. Participatory arts and urban regeneration provide opportunities to equalize relationships with both our human and non-human neighbors. Our new report explores the impact of the European project Bauhaus of the Seas Sails in Malmö, Sweden’s youngest and most international city located by the Öresund strait. Artists, researchers, educators, associations and policymakers became Ocean Ambassadors and joined a Sea Forum to bring the sea back into the city.

They tested two “drop solutions”: Ocean Literacy and Nature-based Reefs. We examine how the project built and expanded its impact over time. Through qualitative analysis, we highlight what made the project successful and which elements are key to applying these solutions elsewhere. This work contributes to our broader efforts to rethink how we evaluate local innovation to support place-based learning and long-term impact.