At one time, art was science's illustrator. Water Art today can go well beyond illustration to serve science and the natural world directly by posing questions, exposing realities, acquiring data, advocating for natural resources, and-- in some cases-- affecting policy change. When Art Advocates for Water promises to be a lively conversation, with New York Aquarium Resident Artist Christy Gast launching the conversation by sharing a 5 minute stop-motion film created by a team of artists working with teens doing advocacy around ocean plastics. Joining her will be Noah Chesnin of the New York Seascape Program; New York Times Business Day editor Ellen Pollock, and some of WOW's core artists whose work directly or indirectly advocates for policy change.