Art and Advocacy: Open Arms United with Yachting Highlights Mediterranean Crisis at Monaco Yacht Show”

One of our primary goals is to inform the international yachting community about the humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean. We aim to do this in the most effective, engaging, and creative ways possible. Our Monaco Yacht Show (MYS) 2023 event met this ambition.

We launched a project last September at the famous Monaco Yacht Show. It aimed to highlight the deaths and disappearances of migrants in the Central Mediterranean. Open Arms United with Yachting (OAUY), in collaboration with Waterproof Consulting and Schwalgien Yacht Design, unveiled a limited-edition art collection. It contrasts the worlds of luxurious yachting and perilous migrant boat crossings.

A Cause Close to the Heart

The Mediterranean Sea is often associated with opulent yachts and serene vacations, but it is also the setting for the desperate journeys of migrants seeking safety and a better life. The unveiling event hosted by Feadship was a poignant reminder of this stark contrast.

Kirsten Schwalgien, Founder and Creative Director of Schwalgien Design, expressed her enthusiasm for the project:

“We are deeply moved by Open Arms’ efforts to save and protect vulnerable families at sea. The yachting industry has made incredible strides in sustainability; now, it’s time to focus on the humanitarian crisis. We aim to find simple yet effective ways to support Open Arms in their mission.”

Richard Pearce, CEO and co-founder of Waterproof Consulting highlighted the powerful synergies between the yachting industry and humanitarian efforts:

“The industry’s problem-solving skills and generosity can significantly impact the lives of those fleeing war, prosecution, and poverty.”

Art with a Purpose

The limited-edition artworks, made by Barcelona-based artists and IED students, aim to spark conversation and action. Each piece shows the clash of luxury and desperation and urges the yachting community to help solve the crisis.

Three unique pieces use materials from sea rescues. One shows a life jacket from Open Arms missions, which Barcelona-based artists Tim Marsh, Reb. MWC, and Julieta Arting painted with original designs. The other turn foil rescue blankets into canvases, which they paint with designs that evoke a boat at sea and the abstract face of a child.

Another striking piece is a 3D-printed luxury yacht model surrounded by hundreds of floating life jackets. Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) Barcelona students collaborated closely to make it.

The campaign hashtag #BeTheLight encapsulates the initiative’s essence. It symbolises the life-saving power of rescue operations and represents our inner light, which shines when we help others.

A Call to Action

Each year, thousands die in the Mediterranean and on northwest African routes, often without a trace. By bridging the gap between these two disparate worlds, OAUY aims to raise greater awareness within the yachting industry, encouraging collaborations, donations, and training to save lives at sea.

Join us in raising awareness of this critical issue and making a tangible difference. Together, we can be the light that guides those in need to safety.

Find out how you can get involved and support OAUY. Find out how you can help here.

Thank you to all involved in bringing these pieces to life and displaying them at MYS.