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The local dissemination event (conference) of the SOCRAT project – SOcializing CRaft & Contemporary Art for Sustainable Tourism – was held on 26 May 2026 at the Center for Creative Industries in Zadar, organized by the Institution for Development of Competence, Innovation and Specialization of Zadar County – INOVAcija, one of the project partners. The project promotes the development of sustainable tourism through the integration of art, crafts, creative industries, and local communities.
The event brought together representatives of the cultural and creative sectors, artisans, artists, and the wider public. During the programme, project results were presented alongside new models of cultural and tourism experiences developed for the Zadar County area.
Special emphasis was placed on the activities carried out by INOVAcija through the triangular cooperation model, within which three creative living laboratories were implemented. Through collaboration between artists, artisans, and other stakeholders, innovative concepts were developed that contribute to creating an authentic and sustainable tourism offer.
As part of the event, a panel discussion was also held focusing on the importance of connecting creative industries and tourism, as well as the potential for local community development through authentic content and experiences.
In addition to the previously announced participants, there was a change in the panel line-up. Alongside Ivana Surać, destination management expert and owner of the Feel Croatia brand, the panel featured Klara Ivanović, entrepreneur and founder of the Fosca brand, which combines contemporary design, local tradition, and an authentic Mediterranean identity, and Ivana Bičanić, a Zadar-based designer and entrepreneur behind the ChicIB bags brand, known for its unique handmade bags distinguished by a blend of modern elegance, functionality, and authentic design. The discussion was moderated by Luka Jakopčić, external associate and coordinator of the creative laboratories implementation.
The participants also had the opportunity to see an exhibited works created through the creative living laboratories, as well as works by other artists and artisans who were not directly involved in the project. The exhibition further highlighted the project’s values and the potential of collaboration between the cultural, creative, and tourism sectors.
The event (conference) once again confirmed the importance of cross-sector collaboration in creating sustainable and innovative tourism content that contributes to local community development and strengthens destination identity.
Dear Sir/Madam,
We hereby invite you to the local dissemination event/conference of the SOCRAT project: Socializing Craft & Contemporary Art for Sustainable Tourism, which will take place on 26 May 2026 at the premises of INOVAcija institution (Center for Creative Industries, Put Murvice 3a, Zadar, Multifunctional Hall, 3rd floor), starting at 10:00 a.m.
The SOCRAT project focuses on the development of sustainable tourism by connecting art, crafts, creative industries and local communities, with the aim of creating authentic tourism experiences and diversifying tourism flows in the Adriatic cross-border region.
As part of the activities carried out by INOVAcija according to the model of so-called triangular cooperation, three experimental creative laboratories were implemented. Through these laboratories, models of new cultural and tourism products/experiences for the area of Zadar County were developed. The experience of implementing the laboratories, as well as the overall results of the SOCRAT project, will also be discussed during a thematic panel discussion held as part of the conference.
The speakers on the panel will be Ivana Surać, destination management expert and owner of the Feel Croatia brand, and Sandra Babac, farmer and owner of the agritourism brand Šinjorina Smokva. The discussion will be moderated by Luka Jakopčić, external associate and coordinator of the implementation of the experimental laboratories.
During the event, an exhibition of works by participants of the creative laboratories will also be presented, along with works by other artists and craftspeople involved in the SOCRAT project, contributing to the dissemination of its results and values.
Conference agenda:
10:00 – Gathering and registration of participants
10:30 – Presentation of project results and exhibition participants
10:45 – Panel discussion “The SOCRAT Project and the Development of Sustainable Tourism”
11:30 – Discussion
12:00 – Lunch, informal networking and exhibition viewing
Please confirm your attendance by e-mail at:
We look forward to your arrival!
Kind regards,
The SOCRAT Project Team
Fondazione Pino Pascali – Museum of Contemporary Art, as Lead Partner of the SOCRAT project (SOcializing CRaft & contemporary Art for sustainable Tourism), announces an international call for artists/tutors and creative professionals to participate in the Creative Living Labs (CLLs) to be held in Zadar County (Croatia) in March 2026.
Through this call, the Lead Partner aims to select one external artist/tutor per Creative Living Lab.
These CLLs are part of a series of 13 Creative Living Labs being currently implemented within the framework of the project across the programme area (Italy and Croatia).
The initiative fosters cultural exchange and collaboration between artists, craft professionals, and local communities through immersive ten-day laboratories dedicated to co-creation, dialogue, and sustainable cultural tourism. Each CLL focuses on specific sectors and explores the relationship between contemporary artistic innovation and traditional local heritage.
Here are the upcoming Creative Living Labs in Zadar County!
(1) Creative Living Lab - Creative Visual Arts Lab. Painting on canvas and textile inspired by the reinterpretation of the coastal area’s historical and literary heritage.
Location: Center for creative industries, Put Murvice 3A, 23000 Zadar
Artist: Senka Lončar
CCI: Fosca Art
CSO: DONAT Tourist Guides Association
10 working days scheduled between 02/03/2026 – 21/03/2026
(2) Creative Living Lab – Traditional gastronomy, digital arts. Creative Lab on Traditional Gastronomic Heritage: folk tales, legends, and contemporary digital generative art practices.
Location: Center for creative industrie Put Murvice 3A, 23000 Zadar
Artist: Dubravka Visković
CCI: Šinjorina Smokva
CSO: Medarice Association (Udruga Medarice)
10 working days scheduled between 02/03/2026 – 21/03/2026
(3) Creative Living Lab – Ceramics and Stone Arts. Creative Laboratory of Ceramics and Stone Arts: Creative reinterpretation of local ethno heritage and island way of life.
Location: Center for creative industries, Put Murvice 3A, 23000 Zadar
Artist: Goran Blažević
CCI: Liliput Gallery
CSO: Rekreativci Association (Udruga Rekreativci)
10 working days scheduled between 02/03/2026 – 21/03/2026
Eligibility note: to ensure the cross-border dimension, the selected artist/tutor must come from a country different from the host country.
Applications must be submitted by 2 March 2026.
Information:
On Friday, July 25, 2025, the SOCRAT – Socializing Craft & Contemporary Art for Sustainable Tourism project hosted an inspiring stakeholder workshop at the House of the Halubje Bell Ringers in Viškovo. The event gathered representatives from the cultural and creative industries, civil society organizations and contemporary art to share insights and build cross-sectoral collaboration.
The workshop was designed to:
• Gather qualitative insights from stakeholders through structured dialogue
• Connect participants from different sectors and encourage cross-sectoral exchange
• Identify opportunities for co-creating innovative tourism products
• Introduce participants to the upcoming Creative Living Labs within the SOCRAT project
The session began with an overview of the SOCRAT project and its goals, followed by a reflection on cultural valorization and an engaging round of introductions where participants shared what culture means in their communities.
Participants then worked in thematic groups, exploring:
• Practical applications of cultural valorization
• Opportunities for collaboration and innovation across sectors
• Ideas for new, sustainable, culture-based tourism products
Finally, the groups presented their ideas and findings in a plenary session, generating rich discussion and shared conclusions.
To wrap up the workshop, participants were invited to actively take part in the next project phase—Creative Living Labs.
All participating focus group members showed high levels of interest in the project’s goals and future activities. The workshop provided a unique opportunity for meaningful exchange of ideas and building new connections across cultural and creative fields. Many attendees expressed excitement about joining the Creative Living Labs, where these initial conversations will evolve into concrete, innovative outcomes.
As part of the SOCRAT project, the Region of Istria, together with Kulturban, Metamedij and participating artists, organized a round table titled “Socialist Heritage and the Collectivity of Labor”. The event took place on Monday, 8 December 2025, at Novo Gallery in Pula.
The round table opened with remarks by Vladimir Torbica, who presented the SOCRAT project and its Creative Living Labs as test models for cooperation between cultural and creative industries, artists and the NGO sector in developing new cultural tourism products.
Igor Duda provided a historical overview of socialist heritage in Croatia and Yugoslavia, highlighting the importance of understanding social change, modernization and everyday life in the post-war decades.
Further contributions explored different aspects of socialist cultures. Boris Koroman discussed the diverse layers of socialist cultural experience, from collective ideals and self-management to everyday, popular and artistic cultures.
Andrea Matošević presented the artistic-research project Ho-Ruk! Hop-Jan! Compositions of Collective Work, which reinterprets sound and film archives of coordinated labor in shipyards, quarries and youth actions.
Award-winning composers Alen and Nenad Sinkauz reflected on industrial sound as a formative experience and an inspiration for contemporary musical expression, connecting personal memory with the sonic heritage of Pula’s industrial past.
Eric Ušić and Davor Sanvincenti showcased how socialist heritage informs their visual and audiovisual work, exploring perception, memory and experience.
The event also marked the start of a ten-day Creative Living Lab focused on performance, aimed at activating collective memory and developing authentic cultural and tourism experiences through collaboration between artists, cultural industries and civil society.
The lab is joined by renowned Italian artist Michele Sambin, whose interdisciplinary work connects sound, image and performance. As mentor, he will guide participants in creating collective experiences that link memory, space and community, supporting innovative and locally rooted cultural tourism.
Within the SOCRAT Project – SOcializing CRaft & contemporary Art for sustainable Tourism / Co-financed by the Interreg V-A Italy-Croatia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme
Within the European project SOCRAT – SOcializing CRaft & contemporary Art for Sustainable Tourism, the Fondazione Pino Pascali – Museum of Contemporary Art, as Lead Partner, presents a new series of Creative Living Labs (CLLs) to be held in Puglia between January and February 2026.
The Creative Living Labs are conceived as immersive, temporary and collaborative environments where contemporary artistic practices, traditional craftsmanship and local communities come together to co-create innovative and sustainable cultural tourism experiences. Each lab lasts 10 days and focuses on specific sectors, exploring the relationship between artistic research, material culture and territorial identity. The Puglia-based Creative Living Labs are part of a wider programme of 13 CLLs implemented across Italy and Croatia, fostering cross-border cultural exchange and community-based creative processes. Of the three Creative Living Labs scheduled to take place, one will be coordinated by CNA Bari/BAT (HABITAT), while two will be coordinated by the Fondazione Pino Pascali (TESSITURE MUSICALI; FOTOTROFIO/TRAME DELLO SGUARDO).
Through this call, the Lead Partner aims to select one external artist/tutor per Creative Living Lab. To guarantee the international and cross-border nature of the project, the selected artist/tutor must be based in a country different from the host country.
Upcoming Creative Living Labs in Puglia:
Creative Living Lab – HABITAT (Gravina in Puglia / Gioia del Colle) – Contemporary Art, Cheesemaking, Sustainable Tourism
Get ready for an experience of artistic and territorial exploration with the Creative Living Lab HABITAT in Puglia! The lab investigates the relationship between contemporary art, artisanal dairy production, and sustainable cultural tourism, taking as its starting point the transformation processes of local cheese-making practices. The project is developed through a collaboration between artist Francesco Strabone, the artisanal dairy Caseificio Fratelli Derosa, and the social promotion association VIBR_AZIONI APS, under the coordination of CNA Bari/BAT, and actively involves local communities in a co-creation process that intertwines artistic research, productive practices, and landscape interpretation. Through exploratory visits, creative activities, and moments of public sharing, participants will contribute to the construction of a visual and cultural narrative that connects biodiversity, traditional knowledge, and local identities, with particular attention to the micro-landscapes of cheese ageing and hypogeal environments.
Location: Distilleria Cassano, Gioia del Colle (BA) (main venue) and Caseificio Artigianale Fratelli Derosa, Gravina in Puglia (BA) (occasional venue) Period: 10 working days scheduled between 3 and 20 February.
Creative Living Lab – Tessiture Musicali (Putignano) – Sound Art & Textile
Get ready for an immersive experience with the Creative Living Lab Tessiture Musicali in Puglia! The lab is developed through a collaboration between musician Roberto Redavid, textile artisan Antonella Pagano (brand Simplicitas), and the GAL Trulli e Barsento (represented by Giuseppe Genco), and proposes an experimental pathway at the intersection of sound, textile craftsmanship, and territory. Through the sampling of environmental sounds and the observation of specific local textile patterns, participants will contribute to the creation of soundscapes and graphic scores inspired by materiality, gesture, and local identity. The final phase involves the interpretation of the scores through acoustic and electronic instruments, resulting in a site-specific composition in dialogue with the acoustic characteristics of the Grotta del Trullo di Putignano.
Location: Teatro Comunale di Putignano (2nd floor), main venue, and Grotta del Trullo Putignano (occasional venue). Period: 10 working days scheduled between 30 January and 28 February.
Creative Living Lab – Fototrofio / Trame dello Sguardo (Giovinazzo) – Photography, Archive & Textile
Get ready for a research-based and co-creative experience with the Creative Living Lab Fototrofio – Trame dello Sguardo in Giovinazzo! The lab explores the dialogue between contemporary photography, place-based memory, and textile practices, starting from the recovery and reinterpretation of found photographic images. Abandoned photographs are transformed through manual gestures such as stitching, weaving, and textile interventions, generating new visual and material narratives connected to identity and passage. The lab involves the participation of the visual artist and photographer Nicola Cipriani, founder of Fototrofio – Poetic Archive of Found Images, in collaboration with fashion designer and textile artisan Maria Elena Di Terlizzi and the GAL Nuovo Fior d’Olivi (represented by Vincenzo Depalo) as a territorial partner.
Location: Cittadella della Cultura, Giovinazzo (BA) Period: 10 working days scheduled between 1 and 28 February.