Collaging plural coastal futures: arts-based methods for just co-creation of coastal adaptation

Co-creation is increasingly prioritised in climate change adaptation, yet participatory planning often excludes vulnerable and marginalised voices. Traditional participatory planning approaches can be inaccessible, tokenistic, or reinforce existing power imbalances thus failing to adhere to procedural justice principles. In response, arts-based methods are emerging as promising tools to support inclusive and meaningful co-creation. Arts-based methods show potential for unsettling dominant ways of thinking and acting, supporting innovation, and fostering inclusivity; however, their ability to support procedural justice is underexplored. In this study, we assess the potential of arts-based future visioning workshops for supporting just co-creation in Køge Bay Beach Park, a coastal nature-based adaptation project undergoing modernisation in Zealand, Denmark. Using collective collage, we engage two under-represented groups – first generation immigrant women learning Danish and second-generation immigrant mothers – in envisioning local coastal futures. Findings reveal plural visions for the future of the beach park, thus illuminating often excluded perspectives that can inform the ongoing modernisation of the area. Moreover, results offer empirical evidence on the potential for arts-based methods to empower marginalised voices through collective imagination, thereby supporting procedural justice. These findings suggest that collective arts-based practice may offer a promising pathway to reorient climate change adaptation planning towards just and care-full co-creation, an avenue deserving of further research.