
Header - Acronym and Title
SO 4.1 - Culture and sustainable tourism
SOCRAT
Information - Card
Information
Project specific objectives - Card
Project specific objectives
- Promote sustainable tourism along the Italian and Croatian Adriatic coasts
- Empower local communities through active participation in cultural tourism
- Address territorial challenges such as:
- Over-reliance on seasonal tourism
- Limited cooperation between artists and local authorities
- Lack of authenticity in tourist offers
- Diversify tourist flows by creating locally rooted and creative experiences
- Develop a socially driven model based on Creative Living Labs
- Foster collaboration between artists, creative industries, and civil society
- Co-create new cultural and tourism products that reflect local heritage and identity
- Support local economic development through culture and creativity
Project main outputs - Card
Project main outputs
- The SOCRAT Model – a framework for triangular cooperation between artists, civil society and the cultural and creative industries
- Creative Living Labs – participatory spaces for experimenting and co-creating new cultural and tourism products and services
- Community empowerment tools – methods and practices that strengthen local participation in sustainable tourism
- Joint cross-border strategy – for the dissemination and promotion of the SOCRAT model across Italy and Croatia
- New tourism experiences – authentic, creative and sustainable offers co- developed with local communities
- Capacity-building for stakeholders – including artists, artisans, cultural operators, and civil society actors
- Cross-border cooperation mechanisms – fostering holistic, inclusive and sustainable tourism development
- Integration of arts and social innovation – placing creativity at the core of local development and tourism transformation
About section
About
The SOCRAT project aims to foster sustainable tourism and community empowerment along the Italian and Croatian Adriatic coasts by leveraging contemporary arts, crafts, creative industries, and civil society. Addressing issues such as dependence on seasonal tourism, lack of cooperation between artists and local authorities, and the need for authentic tourist offerings, the project seeks to diversify tourist flows and boost local development.
The core objective is to create more authentic tourist experiences rooted in local creativity through a socially-based model. Central to this approach are Creative Living Labs, which bring together local industries, artists, and civil society to co-create new tourism products and services that highlight cultural heritage and creativity while providing economic opportunities for local communities. The cross-border approach promotes stakeholder cooperation and sustainable tourism development in a holistic, community-led manner that integrates social, cultural, and environmental sustainability dimensions.
The SOCRAT project advances beyond existing practices by prioritising arts and social innovation, emphasising the substance and spirit of creative efforts.
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News & Events
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NEWS
27/02/2026Newsletter n.2
Welcome to the second SOCRAT newsletter! Discover how italian and croatian partners are working together to turn sustainable cultural tourism into a reality along the Adriatic coast.
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NEWS
20/02/2026INTERNATIONAL CALL FOR ARTISTS/TUTORS – CREATIVE LIVING LABS IN ZADAR COUNTY (CROATIA)
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.
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NEWS
20/02/2026SOCRAT Project Partnership Meeting Held at the University of Zadar
On 17 and 18 February 2026, the University of Zadar hosted the Partnership Meeting and Steering Committee of the project SOCRAT Socializing Craft and Contemporary Art for Sustainable Tourism, implemented under the Interreg Italy Croatia Programme.
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NEWS
19/02/2026Project SOCRAT: Textile and Fashion Design Creative Living Lab
The Textile and Fashion Design Creative Living Lab was held in Pula from 24 January to 14 February within the SOCRAT project – Socialising Craft and contemporary Art for sustainable Tourism (Interreg VI A Italy-Croatia 2021-2027), implemented by the Region of Istria - Regione Istriana, Administrative Department for Culture and Heritage, in cooperation with partners.
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NEWS
04/02/2026CALL FOR PAPERS – Co-creating Sustainable Tourism International Scientific and Professional Conference University of Zadar, June 18–19, 2026
The University of Zadar and the SOCRAT Project (Interreg Italy–Croatia) organize the international conference Co-creating Sustainable Tourism, that will be held on June 18–19, 2026. The event brings together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, entrepreneurs and representatives of local communities to exchange knowledge and discuss sustainable, inclusive and authentic tourism development. The conference will focus on co-creating tourism policies, products and experiences through community engagement, innovative approaches and the promotion of local culture, identity, and gastronomy.