Ocean Space

Ocean Space is an art and cultural center inside the former Church of San Lorenzo in Venice. Its exhibitions and commissions explore the oceans, climate change and the relationship between people and water. The restored church gives the installations room to unfold, and some exhibitions have included video, large paintings and interactive activities such as group rowing. Visit for contemporary art with an environmental focus; guided tours and conversations with cultural mediators can add context to what you see.

Art and ocean advocacy

Ocean Space is dedicated to art projects about bodies of water and the politics surrounding them. The center connects artistic work with ocean literacy, research and advocacy, giving climate change and the effects of human activity on the ocean a place in its exhibitions.

Its programme has included commissions by artists working with Indigenous knowledge and resistance, as well as works addressing deep-sea mining. Exhibitions change, so check the current programme before you visit if you have a particular artist or subject in mind.

Inside San Lorenzo

The center occupies the Church of San Lorenzo, a historic church that was closed to the public for nearly a century before its conservation and renewal. The church’s interior now provides the setting for contemporary installations.

Past presentations have included video installations and large paintings exploring connections between the sea, mountains and environmental change. Some activities are interactive, including group rowing. Guided tours and conversations with cultural mediators can help explain the ideas behind the works.