Creative Laboratory of Visual Arts
Paint the History: A Creative Journey Through North Dalmatia is an interpretive and creative experience designed to combine the discovery of local heritage with hands-on artistic expression. Through a guided exploration of cultural sites, stories, and historical landmarks, participants are encouraged to capture their personal impressions of the landscape and its heritage through art.
Following an interpretive tour that introduces the area's unique history and cultural narratives, the programme continues with a practical painting workshop where participants learn basic painting techniques and apply them in their own artistic interpretation of the places and motifs they have encountered.
This niche, year-round experience brings together culture and creativity, offering visitors an engaging tourism product beyond the peak tourist season. To ensure year-round applicability and adaptability to different locations and weather conditions, the experience is offered through three seasonal programmes:
- Paint the History – Spring Inspirations
- Paint the History – Summer Impressions
- Autumn Colours of History
Each programme highlights a specific aspect of local historical, cultural, and literary heritage, adapted to the season and the location where the experience takes place.
As the pilot version of the programme was developed in the town of Nin, several particularly inspiring locations were identified for the workshop component, including the historic town centre (such as café terraces overlooking the Church of the Holy Cross and the statue of Gregory of Nin), the Nin Saltworks and salt fields, Queen’s Beach, and the area surrounding the Church of St. Nicholas, particularly suitable for smaller groups of up to six or seven participants.
The product was conceived and piloted within a creative laboratory involving Klara Ivanović (Fosca Art Biograd), painter Senka Lončar, and Zadar Tourist Guides Association - 'Donat. The cross-border mentor for the initiative was Fabrizio Bellomo, a multimedia artist from Bari, Italy.
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Fabrizio Bellomo (Bari, 1982) is an artist and filmmaker.
He participated in the 16th and 19th editions of the Italian Pavilion at the International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia: first with the project Villaggio Cavatrulli, and later with the installation Abito Mari, commissioned by the Fondazione Filiberto e Bianca Menna in Salerno.
He took part in the 38th, 39th and 41st editions of the Torino Film Festival and, with the film Commedia all’Italiana, won the Special Jury Prize in the italiana.doc section at the 39th edition.
His solo exhibitions in institutional venues include:
Meccanicismo (2018) at the Kulturni Centar Beograda, Belgrade;
‘Nziembru (2024) at Fondazione Elpis, Milan;
Abito Mari (2025) at the Gallery of Contemporary Art Tirana by Mane Foundation.
He has also exhibited at MACRO, Rome; Triennale di Milano; Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome; Mostra Internazionale del Nuovo Cinema in Pesaro; Filmmaker Festival in Milan; Festival dei Popoli in Florence; Bellaria Film Festival (where he won First Prize with the film Vernissage); Cinemed in Montpellier; Ekrani i Artit in Shkodër; Fotomuseum Winterthur during Plat(t)form; Tirana International Film Festival; PhEST, Monopoli; Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Tokyo; FAB in Tirana; Fondazione Pino Pascali in Polignano a Mare; Kreuzberg Pavillon in Berlin and at Fundació Enric Miralles in Barcelona.
He has developed projects in collaboration with or commissioned by institutions including MiC; Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli; Fondazione Forma per la Fotografia; Apulia Film Commission; Fondazione Dioguardi; Tirana Art Lab; Art House; Careof; Fondazione Elpis and Galleria Continua.
His works are included also in the collections of the Museo di Fotografia Contemporanea (MuFoCo); the Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione (ICCD); the collection of Museo del Palazzo Malatestiano in Fano; Simmons & Simmons collection and the nctm e l’arte project collection in Milan.
Fabrizio Bellomo has published several books, including the last photo-books Villaggio Cavatrulli, published by Centro Di in Florence and Concrete Albania by Onufri in Tirana.
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Senka Lončar is a Zadar-based artist and creative personality who decided to remain active through painting and social media after retirement. Since retiring, she has dedicated herself to painting and has created nearly 200 paintings, which, as she says, beautify her life and everyday routine.
Senka has significantly expanded her artistic presence through Instagram, where she has more than 7,000 followers from around the world interested in her works and stories. She recently held her first solo exhibition in Zadar, which attracted great interest from fellow citizens and art lovers.
In her work, she most often depicts everyday life and the local atmosphere — especially motifs of Zadar and surrounding places, enriched with flowers, seagulls, and other inspirations from nature and the Mediterranean environment. Senka often gifts her paintings to others, showing how art connects people and spreads joy.
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoscaArt/
- Region: Zadar
- Name and surname: Klara Ivanović
- E-mail:
Ova e-mail adresa je zaštićena od spambota. Potrebno je omogućiti JavaScript da je vidite. - Address: Ivana Generalića 4, Biograd na Moru 23210
- Phone: +385 98 9098593
- Website: https://fosca.com.hr
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fosca_art_/?hl=en
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Fosca is a design brand specialized in original patterns and illustrations intended for the graphic, textile, and fashion industries. From the very beginning, the focus has been on creating sustainable, thoughtful, and visually strong designs that bring freshness and long-term value.
The owner and author of the brand is Klara Ivanović, an artist whose work is based on continuous exploration of drawing, painting, and pattern design. Her canvas paintings and posters are created through experimentation with various techniques, materials, and textures, resulting in distinctive, layered, and visually rich designs ready for application in product design.
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZadarTouristGuides
- Region: Zadar
- Name and surname: Luca Bašić
- E-mail:
Ova e-mail adresa je zaštićena od spambota. Potrebno je omogućiti JavaScript da je vidite. - Address: Ulica Mihovila Klaića 7, Zadar, Croatia, Zadar, Croatia, 23000
- Phone: +385 91 173 6046
- Website: https://zadarguides.com/
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The Tourist Guides Association “Donat” – Zadar brings together professional tourist guides with the aim of presenting the cultural, historical, and natural heritage of Zadar and its surroundings. Members of the association lead various tours — from short city tours, museum visits, and sacred monuments, to thematic and multi-day tours across Zadar County.
The current president of the association is Luca Bašić, a licensed tourist guide with a degree in art history and geography. Under her leadership, the association continuously improves the tourist offer and cooperates with local institutions, museums, and the University of Zadar in order to provide visitors with professional and engaging guidance.
The “Donat” Association plays a key role in connecting local history and culture with visitors, promoting Zadar and Zadar County as a destination rich in cultural identity and unforgettable experiences.