Coral reefs are undergoing unprecedented global decline under the combined pressures of climate change and other human activities, making effective public engagement and conservation action more urgent than ever.
We argue that art and design can complement science by transforming complex ecological knowledge into emotionally resonant and accessible narratives that inspire awareness, policy change, and collective action. We review successful art-science collaborations, emphasize the importance of integrating ecological function with aesthetics, cultural diversity, and local community participation, and introduce the Coral Art-Science Consortium as a global initiative promoting interdisciplinary collaborations among scientists, artists, educators, policy-makers, and communities.
We conclude that combining scientific knowledge with artistic expression can foster broader public engagement, strengthen conservation efforts, and help mobilize global action to protect coral reef ecosystems.
