One Ocean Hub is a five-year transdisciplinary research project that advocates for fair and inclusive ocean governance in Africa and the Pacific. A central component of the Hub’s work focuses on the role of art-based research in documenting and communicating emotional relationships with the ocean that are often overlook in conventional approaches to international marine management.

The Deep Emotional Engagement Programme (DEEP) Fund supports nine community-based art projects in South Africa, Ghana, Vanuatu,Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea that reveal culturally specific world views, values and knowledge systems related to the sea. Projects bring together artists, cultural practitioners, knowledge holders, academics and civil society to promote intersections between heritage, sustainable development and ocean stewardship. Creative outputs traverse media including photography, murals, textiles, oral history, film, literature and music.

One Ocean Hub is funded by UK Research and Innovation via the Global Challenges Research Fund and is led by the University of Strathclyde.Among more than 30 international research and project partners are the University of Cape Coast (Ghana) and Rhodes University(South Africa). In addition to indigenous heritage, the Hub also conducts integrated research in the areas of Blue Economy and Society, Environmental andHuman Rights Law, Marine Spatial Planning, and Capacity Strengthening.  

Image credit:
(Jakupa 167) Photo: Pax Jakupa, 2021
(Howse56) Photo: Keiskamma Trust, 2021

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