Researchers from the Department of Culture and Communication of the Institute for Development and International Relations (IRMO) – Dr. Dea Vidović, Dr. Aleksandra Uzelac, and Sunčana Franić – conducted a participatory workshop as part of the preparation of the Study on the Socio-Economic Impact of the Fortress of Culture Šibenik 2014–2024. The aim of the workshop was to gather citizens’ experiences and opinions on how the Fortress of Culture Šibenik influences the city’s cultural life, social relations, and local economy through interactive discussion formats.
The workshop took place on Friday, 10 October 2025, at the Arsen House of Art in Šibenik, organized by the Fortress of Culture Šibenik. More than twenty citizens participated, responding to the public call for participation launched by the institution.
The Fortress of Culture Šibenik commissioned IRMO’s Department of Culture and Communication to prepare two interrelated documents: the Study/Analysis of the Socio-Economic Impact of the Fortress of Culture Šibenik 2014–2024 and the Integrated Strategic Management Plan of the Institution until 2030. As a public cultural institution, the Fortress of Culture plays a key role in the cultural development of Šibenik and the Šibenik-Knin County and is recognized as a model of sustainable cultural heritage management in Croatia and beyond. To this end, a methodological research framework was developed that both reflects the institution’s socio-economic impact so far and, through a participatory process, sets out guidelines for its long-term positioning within the cultural, social, and economic context of local and regional development. In this way, the Study and the Strategic Plan will contribute to further strengthening sustainable management approaches at the Fortress of Culture Šibenik and enhancing the institution’s visibility and recognition at both national and international levels.
The preparation of these documents is being carried out within the FORTIC project (Interreg Italy–Croatia 2021–2027), implemented by the Fortress of Culture Šibenik.
