
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
14/07/2026SOCRAT Partners Gathered in Pula for the Final Partnership and Steering Committee Meetings
Following the successful opening of the international exhibition "Shared Grounds", partners of the SOCRAT project (Networking Crafts and Contemporary Art for Sustainable Tourism) met in Pula, Croatia, on 8–9 July 2026 for the project's Final Partnership Meeting and Final Steering Committee Meeting, hosted by the Region of Istria.
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NEWS
14/07/2026SOCRAT Project Concluded with the International Exhibition “Shared Grounds” in Pula
On 7 July 2026, the SOCRAT project (Networking Crafts and Contemporary Art for Sustainable Tourism, Interreg Italy–Croatia 2021–2027) celebrated its final cross-border event with the opening of the international exhibition “Shared Grounds” at the Archaeological Museum of Istria in Pula. Organised by the Region of Istria – Regione Istriana, the exhibition marked the culmination of three years of cross-border cooperation dedicated to connecting crafts, contemporary art, cultural and creative industries, and sustainable tourism.
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NEWS
30/06/2026SOCRAT Presented in Brussels: Strengthening European Cooperation for Sustainable and Creative Tourism
On 24 and 25 June 2026, the SOCRAT project was presented in Brussels during a two-day side event dedicated to promoting the strategic role of crafts, arts and cultural and creative industries (CCIs) in the development of innovative and sustainable tourism models.
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NEWS
30/06/2026SOCRAT Project to Conclude with Final Cross-Border Exhibition “Shared Grounds” in Pula
The SOCRAT project will conclude with its final cross-border event, the international exhibition “Shared Grounds”, opening on 7 July 2026 at the Archaeological Museum of Istria in Pula. Organised by the Region of Istria, the exhibition will serve as the culminating event of the project, bringing together and showcasing the key results developed through three years of cross-border cooperation.
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NEWS
24/06/2026EU Project SOCRAT: Successful Cycle of Capacity Building Workshops for Tourism and Culture Professionals Held in Kvarner
How can we connect tradition, contemporary art, and sustainable tourism? The recently concluded cycle of SOCRAT workshops in Kvarner (Croatia) provided the answers, equipping local stakeholders with practical tools to develop innovative cultural tourism products.