ARTPORT FOUNDATION
ARTPORT_making waves e.V. is a German-registered non-profit founded in 2006 that uses contemporary art exhibitions, school workshops, and films to drive ocean literacy and climate awareness across 12+ countries, anchored by its UNESCO-endorsed WE ARE OCEAN Global Program. It is funded by donations and grants and serves youth, schools, museums, and international policy forums.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersFrankfurt, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ARTPORT FOUNDATION does
ARTPORT_making waves e.V. is a German-registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 2006 as an international curatorial platform that uses contemporary art projects to address climate change, ocean conservation, and social justice. Headquartered in Frankfurt with active offices in Germany, Spain, France, the United States (Brooklyn), and Sweden (Stockholm), the organization runs a hybrid program of curated exhibitions, film productions, school workshops, and conference presence, anchored by its flagship WE ARE OCEAN Global Program — officially endorsed by UNESCO as a UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) project. It also operates WE ARE OCEAN Blaupausen, a replicable school-workshop template being rolled out across multiple German federal states, and standalone programs in Tanzania (African Blue Food Festival, 2025) and Brazil (COP30, Belém, 2025), with the latter focused on Afro-Brazilian and indigenous communities affected by oil extraction. The organization co-creates programs with partner museums (Kunsthaus Hamburg, Übersee-Museum Bremen, Deutsches Meeresmuseum Stralsund, Senckenberg Frankfurt, Centre des Monuments Nationaux Paris) and scientific institutes (ZMT Bremen, IUCN) and holds Official Observer NGO status at UN Climate Conferences.
The organization is funded exclusively through donations and grants, with no disclosed revenue figure, no funding rounds, no parent company, and no venture capital backing. Documented funders include Lighthouse Foundation (primary), Okeanos Foundation for the Sea, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUKN), Bürgerstiftung Darmstadt, Entega Stiftung, EWE Stiftung, Stadtsparkasse Cuxhaven, Sparkasse Bremen, and Bingo Umweltlotterie; donations are accepted via a Triodos Bank account. There is no pricing model and no product is sold — the platform monetizes its social and diplomatic impact through grant capture and brand credibility rather than commercial revenue. The underlying technology is minimal: a WordPress site on IONOS hosting with analytics tracking, a Mailchimp newsletter, and standard social media profiles (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X/Twitter). There is no proprietary technology, no API, no AI/ML component, and no mobile application; the competitive asset base is the 20-year portfolio of curatorial relationships, the UNESCO designation, and the policy access that flows from it.
Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: ARTPORT reaches audiences through direct school and museum engagements, participation in international climate and ocean forums, and digital distribution via its website and social channels. Its primary "customer segments" are youth and students, educational institutions, indigenous and marginalized communities, and international forums/governments — though in non-profit terms these are beneficiaries and partners rather than paying customers. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, supplemented by an extended international network of associate curators (Germany, Sweden, Sápmi, India, Mexico, France) and an advisory board with ocean and climate expertise.
ARTPORT FOUNDATION firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ARTPORT FOUNDATION
- Legal name
- ARTPORT_making waves e.V.
- Website
- https://artport-project.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- ARTPORT_making waves e.V. is a German-registered non-profit founded in 2006 that uses contemporary art exhibitions, school workshops, and films to drive ocean literacy and climate awareness across 12+ countries, anchored by its UNESCO-endorsed WE ARE OCEAN Global Program. It is funded by donations and grants and serves youth, schools, museums, and international policy forums.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ARTPORT FOUNDATION industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Climate Advocacy and Ocean Literacy Programs
- NAICS
- Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)
Keywords
Where ARTPORT FOUNDATION is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Frankfurt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
ARTPORT FOUNDATION business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: ARTPORT operates as a non-profit organization (e.V. registered association) primarily funded through donations and grants from foundations such as Lighthouse Foundation, as well as institutional funding from governmental bodies and environmental organizations.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
ARTPORT FOUNDATION product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ARTPORT_making waves operates an international curatorial platform that connects artists, scientists, educators, and policymakers to co-create interdisciplinary projects addressing climate change, ocean conservation, and social justice. The organization's flagship WE ARE OCEAN Global Program, endorsed by UNESCO as a UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development project, delivers educational workshops, art exhibitions, film productions, and policy collaborations worldwide. Revenue is generated through donations, grants from foundations (e.g., Lighthouse Foundation), and institutional funding rather than product or service sales.
Product overview
ARTPORT_making waves is a non-profit curatorial platform that operates its flagship WE ARE OCEAN Global Program—a UNESCO-endorsed UN Ocean Decade project—and its regional WE ARE OCEAN Blaupausen school workshops. The organization also runs standalone educational programs including WE ARE OCEAN Tanzania and WE ARE OCEAN Brazil, as well as art projects like Little Sun Light is Life Chain and Symbioses of Responsibility. These programs connect contemporary art with climate and ocean advocacy through exhibitions, film productions, workshops, and conference events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- WE ARE OCEAN Global Program A UNESCO-endorsed global program under the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) that connects artists, scientists, and educators to create interdisciplinary Ocean Literacy projects worldwide. Targets schools, museums, governments, and communities seeking to address ocean conservation through contemporary art.
- WE ARE OCEAN Blaupausen A series of school-based workshops across German federal states in which students collaborate with artists and marine scientists to create ocean-themed artworks and learn about blue climate awareness. Serves German primary and secondary schools and educational institutions seeking interdisciplinary climate education.
- WE ARE OCEAN Tanzania Ocean Literacy workshops for children at Mwongozo Primary School in Dar es Salaam, in which students create coral reef-themed artworks using natural and recycled materials. Delivered as part of the African Blue Food Festival in partnership with the Embassy of The Netherlands and funded by Lighthouse Foundation.
- WE ARE OCEAN Brazil Ocean Literacy project partnering with Brazilian artist Aline Baiana to raise awareness on the impacts of oil extraction on Afro-Brazilian and native communities, including events at the Ocean Pavilion in the Blue Zone of COP30 in Belém.
- Little Sun Light is Life Chain Educational workshop and performance featuring artist Olafur Eliasson and solar-powered lamps at École Massillon during Paris COP21, highlighting low-cost renewable energy solutions as a climate response.
- Symbioses of Responsibility Art project by George Steinmann at COP21 Paris featuring hand-drawn mindmaps, sketches, and performances exploring climate change dialogue between art, science, and policy.
Quantifiable outcome
- UNESCO Ocean Decade endorsement (2021-2030)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ARTPORT FOUNDATION
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ARTPORT FOUNDATION technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ARTPORT FOUNDATION partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Aline BaianacoreBrazilian artist collaborating on WE ARE OCEAN Brazil project at COP30 in Belém, focusing on impact of oil extraction on Afro-Brazilian communities.
- African Blue Food FestivalcoreWE ARE OCEAN Tanzania project hosted as part of the African Blue Food Festival in Dar es Salaam.
- UNESCOcoreWE ARE OCEAN Global Program officially endorsed by UNESCO as a UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) project. ARTPORT collaborates with IOC-UNESCO on Ocean Literacy initiatives and conference events.
- German Ocean Decade Committee (ODK)coreARTPORT's co-founder Anne-Marie Melster is a member of the German Ocean Decade Committee, contributing to ocean science communication in Germany.
- Kunsthaus HamburgcoreHost venue for WE ARE OCEAN Hamburg project presentation and discussion events with artists and students.
- Übersee-Museum BremencoreHost venue for WE ARE OCEAN Bremen fishbowl discussion events, bringing together artists, scientists, and community.
- Deutsches Meeresmuseum StralsundcoreHost venue for WE ARE OCEAN Mecklenburg-Vorpommern exhibition and student workshops.
- Ocean Pavilion / Blue Zone at COP30coreHosted event at Ocean Pavilion in Blue Zone of COP30, screening films and hosting fishbowl discussions on ocean literacy.
- Senckenberg Museum FrankfurtcoreScientific partner for WE ARE OCEAN Hessen project, with marine biologist Dr. Jan Seger participating in student workshops.
- Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) BremencoreScientific partner for WE ARE OCEAN Bremen project, with marine scientist Wiebke Homes co-leading workshops with artists.
- Embassy of The Netherlands in Dar es SalaamminorVenue partner for WE ARE OCEAN Tanzania exhibition displaying student artworks during ABFF event.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ARTPORT FOUNDATION competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Schmidt Ocean Institute: Philanthropic organization founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt supporting ocean research, technology, and public engagement through expeditions and media. Comparable in marrying science communication with public/ocean advocacy at international events, though operates a research vessel fleet and is far larger than ARTPORT.
- The Ocean Foundation: US-based community foundation dedicated to ocean stewardship that makes grants and runs programs across marine conservation. Operates at a much larger scale than ARTPORT but shares the non-profit, donation-and-grant-funded model and a focus on enabling ocean-focused initiatives including cultural/educational components.
- Ocean Conservancy: Major US-based ocean advocacy NGO working on policy, science, and public engagement. While ARTPORT operates at a much smaller scale, both organizations share the mission of channeling public and donor attention toward ocean protection through education and high-visibility international forums.
- National Geographic Pristine Seas: National Geographic Society's flagship ocean conservation program combining expeditions, scientific research, and award-winning visual storytelling. Shares ARTPORT's approach of using compelling imagery and film to drive ocean policy outcomes, but operates at vastly greater scale and budget.
Emerging players
- Alligator Head Foundation: Jamaica-based marine conservation NGO that integrates art, citizen science, and community engagement to protect coral reefs. Similar niche focus on marine conservation through creative practice and education, though geographically narrower and more focused on reef restoration than ARTPORT's global curatorial model.
- Sustainable Ocean Alliance: Global youth-led ocean advocacy and entrepreneurship network. Overlaps with ARTPORT on youth-targeted ocean literacy and engagement, but is more focused on startup incubation and policy campaigns than on curatorial art exhibitions.
Direct peers
- SeaLegacy Foundation: Global ocean conservation nonprofit that uses visual storytelling, photography, film, and expeditions to drive ocean protection. Shares ARTPORT's emphasis on art, film, and high-profile imagery as advocacy tools, and similarly pursues policy influence through international forums (UN Ocean Decade, COP-adjacent events).
- TBA21 (Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary): Vienna-based private art foundation with a programmatic focus on ocean conservation, climate, and ecological futures. Directly comparable to ARTPORT in combining contemporary art commissions with ocean/climate advocacy and scientific partnerships. Operates TBA21–Academy on San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, providing residency-style artist-scientist engagement similar to ARTPORT's WE ARE OCEAN model.
- Tara Expeditions Foundation: French non-profit running the schooner Tara for ocean research and public engagement on climate and ocean issues. Comparable in using interdisciplinary (science + education + advocacy) approaches to ocean literacy, with strong French/European institutional ties and an educational mission similar to ARTPORT's school workshops.
Others
- Cinema Planeta (International Environmental Film Festival Mexico): Mexico-based international environmental film festival co-directed by ARTPORT's own Project Coordinator Mexico. Functions as a comparable environmental/cultural hybrid organization using film as a climate-awareness vehicle, and represents an institutional peer in the climate-cinema ecosystem adjacent to ARTPORT's film-production activities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Customer concentration
ARTPORT FOUNDATION social profiles
Digital presenceARTPORT FOUNDATION financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ARTPORT FOUNDATION leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
ARTPORT FOUNDATION funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ARTPORT FOUNDATION M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ARTPORT FOUNDATION
What does ARTPORT FOUNDATION do?
ARTPORT_making waves operates an international curatorial platform that connects artists, scientists, educators, and policymakers to co-create interdisciplinary projects addressing climate change, ocean conservation, and social justice. The organization's flagship WE ARE OCEAN Global Program, endorsed by UNESCO as a UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development project, delivers educational workshops, art exhibitions, film productions, and policy collaborations worldwide. Revenue is generated through donations, grants from foundations (e.g., Lighthouse Foundation), and institutional funding rather than product or service sales.
Is ARTPORT FOUNDATION a public or private company?
ARTPORT FOUNDATION is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ARTPORT FOUNDATION founded?
ARTPORT FOUNDATION was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ARTPORT FOUNDATION based?
ARTPORT FOUNDATION is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does ARTPORT FOUNDATION make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Grants.
Who are ARTPORT FOUNDATION's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Schmidt Ocean Institute, The Ocean Foundation, Ocean Conservancy and National Geographic Pristine Seas. Emerging players are Alligator Head Foundation and Sustainable Ocean Alliance. Direct peers are SeaLegacy Foundation, TBA21 (Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary) and Tara Expeditions Foundation. Cinema Planeta (International Environmental Film Festival Mexico) is listed as an others.
Does ARTPORT FOUNDATION have an API?
No public API is recorded for ARTPORT FOUNDATION.
What industry is ARTPORT FOUNDATION in?
ARTPORT FOUNDATION's product category is Climate Advocacy and Ocean Literacy Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADALAI, Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management, with a secondary code of BPAGAGAE, Marine & Freshwater Conservation. Its NAICS code is 712190 and its SIC code is 7812.