Projects

The project catalogue of the Department of Teacher Education brings together international collaborations, the development of new study programmes, artistic research projects and community activities. The projects connect art, education, technology, ecology and social engagement and contribute to contemporary teaching models, interdisciplinarity and international visibility of the Department.

Cash & Carry – Open Day of Art

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Cash & Carry is a long-standing cultural, artistic, educational and promotional event with a humanitarian character and a music program, which has been successfully held at the Department of Teacher Education for more than twenty years, organized by students of the third year of the undergraduate university study of Fine Arts, with the support of mentors and professors. It is an all-day event during which the Teaching Department of the Academy opens to the public through exhibitions, humanitarian events, art workshops, lectures and various creative points, promoting the artistic creativity of the formative generation of artists.

The special value of the event is manifested in the direct presentation of student works in the working environment of the studio - classes and in the spontaneous communication between students and visitors, in a pleasant atmosphere with socializing and music.

With practical experience in organizing an art project, students acquire organizational, communication and entrepreneurial skills that open up new perspectives for the future and professional work in various sectors in culture, as well as experience on how to communicate, present and evaluate their own artistic work in public.

Conversations at Jabukovac 10

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Since 2004, the Teaching Department of the Academy has continuously held an extracurricular program of guest lectures Conversations at Jabukovac 10, intended for students of all departments of the Academy of Fine Arts, as well as for the wider cultural public outside the Academy, with the aim of expanding the knowledge and cognitions of students in the field of contemporary art practice, theory and experience of a wide range of visual arts.

The program is recognizable by the specific concept of "conversations" in the form of various forms and formats, unconventional and conventional lectures of a wide range that include  presentations, workshops, presentations of various art projects and artistic practices of significant artists and personalities in the field of visual and visual arts and culture: curators, collectors, theoreticians, art historians, museum workers, architects, associations dedicated to various artistic and social problems, designers, professors, art educators, students, alumni, doctoral students.

As part of the program, more than one hundred and fifty guest appearances have been realized to date, of which we single out some: Dubravka Rakoci, Zdenko Rus, Žarko Paić, David Maljković, Gregor Podnar, Nika Radić, Ivo Deković, Željko Marciuš, Mirjana Vodopija, Miško Šuvaković, Igor Eškinja, Željko Kipke, Boris Demur, Goran Petercol, Boris Ljubičić, Đuro Seder, Damir Sokić, Goran Trbuljak, Kata Mijatović, Damir Fabijanić, Joško Marušić, Silvio Vujičić, OPA – Association for the Promotion of Visual Culture, Numen/ForUse, Nenad Fabijanić, Vlado Martek, Ana Sladetić, Miran Šabić, Nada Beroš, Feđa Vukić, Božica Dea Matasić, Ivan Ladislav Galeta, Davor Bruketa, Blaženka Perica, Sean Scully and many others.

Matrices

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Matrices is an educational, artistic-research project that since 2016 has been exploring the concept of matrices within the expanded field of art and science, with the aim of improving interdisciplinary education, encouraging cooperation between science and art, and popularizing scientific topics through artistic methods. The central activity of the project is field teaching during which students and alumni of the Academy of Fine Arts and other constituents of the University collaborate with artists, scientists and experts through lectures, workshops and interdisciplinary projects.

Under the mentorship of teachers, participants develop research and artistic works on a given topic, and each project cycle concludes with an exhibition of works and publication of a publication. So far, nine cycles of the project have been implemented with the following topics: Graphics, Space of Freedom, Botany, Sound, Information, Sound II, Absurdity, Body and Happiness. The project contributes to the development of artistic and scientific competencies of students and teachers, the strengthening of international academic cooperation and the development of research excellence through the connection of artistic and scientific practices.

Drawing marathon

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The Drawing Marathon is a long-term project that allows students to explore new drawing methods and materials within a 24-hour continuous drawing. This intensive format builds on the teaching content of the Drawing Processes course, but expands the possibilities through experimentation in a different time frame and the introduction of new approaches. The project has been continuously held since 2012 at the Department of Education, and its goal is to become a reference point for the development of drawing processes and their positioning within a wider artistic context. Students of all departments of the Academy of Fine Arts and students of related faculties from Croatia and abroad participate in the Drawing Marathon.

The project is implemented as an extracurricular activity during one semester or throughout the school year, with the use of materials, techniques and spatial resources applicable in regular classes. Special emphasis is placed on cooperation with other constituents, institutions and schools, especially vocational institutions, as well as on the involvement of alumni, external associates and artists in the coordination and implementation of the program. In the future, the project will continuously introduce new digital tools into the work process and develop a digital database of participants with photo documentation of the activities. Through exhibitions, public presentations and periodic guest appearances in related institutions and cultural centers, the project intends to contribute to the popularization of artistic and educational work, and the results and course of activities will be unified in the publication of the project.

Field Teaching and Drawing Workshop "Homeland and Experiential Space of Edo Murtić" - Velika Pisanica

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Field classes and drawing workshops "Homeland and Experiential Space of Edo Murtić" is part of the event "Days of Edo Murtić", which is held every year on the occasion of the birth of this prominent Croatian painter. It is carried out as a cooperation between the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb and the Municipality of Velika Pisanica.

The workshop "Homeland and Experiential Space of Edo Murtić" consists of two parts.

The first part is a one-day field trip that takes place at the beginning of May and includes a stay in the vicinity of Velika Pisanica where students make drawings and sketches based on observation or their own experience of what they have seen. It is about experiential, direct reaction in the medium of drawing, reducing the descriptive approach, the possibilities of abstracting forms, encouraging gesturality.

In the second part, through the workshop, students have the opportunity to participate in an intensive process of researching the drawing medium according to the drawings and through mentoring.

It is a one-day field class and drawing workshop that takes place during May and June. The project functions as a natural continuation and extension of regular classes, providing students with the opportunity to test materials, techniques and procedures from the drawing and painting performance plan in real time and space.

The goal is to introduce fieldwork as a permanent, recognizable part of the teaching process through cooperation with the local community and various cultural institutions. Students communicate directly with the environment, and the field trip is preceded by thorough preparation through lectures, conversations and mentoring support. The entire creative process is continuously documented, and all created works become part of the permanent digital database of the project. In addition, exhibitions and presentations of works created as part of workshops are periodically organized.

Urban Space and Painting - Vrbovec Art Colony - Vreva, Vrbovec

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The Vrbovec Art Colony is designed as an all-day gathering with fine arts, and it brings together all generations of artists from the area of the City of Vrbovec and the surrounding municipalities, with visiting students, for the purpose of socializing, getting to know each other, connecting and strengthening the Vrbovec art scene. Such meetings are an irreplaceable part of getting to know the specifics of a certain region, as well as the visual communication of the artist and his homeland.

The organizers of the event are the Tourist Board of the City of Vrbovec, the City of Vrbovec and the Artoratorij Association, and the partner is the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb.

The project is implemented as an extracurricular activity during the school year, with an emphasis on the application of materials and techniques suitable for regular teaching and the development of creative and collaborative work. Various stakeholders are involved in the project – from associations and the local community to alumni, artists and professors from the Academy of Fine Arts – which encourages the exchange of knowledge and experiences. The activities of the project are systematically documented through a digital database of participants and photo documentation, and the results of the work are promoted through an annual presentation in public spaces and parts of urban units.

24-hour comic book drawing

This project is an internationally recognized format in which participants create a complete comic book on a given topic in 24 hours. Students, professional cartoonists and guests from different art schools participate. The project emphasizes spontaneity, speed of creation and narrative power of visual storytelling. Completed works are publicly presented and published online, which ensures wide availability and visibility of student production. In the long run, it strengthens comics as an artistic medium and encourages international cooperation.

Garden J10 – revitalization of the environment

The J10 Garden is a project of revitalization and program integration of the outdoor space of the Department of Teaching of the Academy of Fine Arts. The goal is to transform the courtyard, forest and orchard into an active space for teaching, research and artistic production in the open air. The project includes plenary classes, international and interdisciplinary collaborations, workshops and projects with the local community. Special emphasis is placed on ecology, sustainability and experimental pedagogical models. The J10 Garden is being developed as an expanded educational space that connects art, science and the environment.

J10 Gallery

J10 Gallery is a new educational and exhibition space within the Teaching Department that functions as an experimental laboratory for artistic and pedagogical practices. It is used for exhibitions of student works, workshops, performances and collaborative projects with domestic and international institutions. A special focus is placed on interdisciplinarity and cooperation with the University of Zagreb. The gallery has the potential to become a new cultural point of the city through an open and experimental approach to contemporary art.

Artist Residence J10

The J10 residency program enables the stay and work of visiting artists, researchers and students in the space of the Academy of Fine Arts. The program includes accommodation, work in equipped workshops, and access to the Academy's teaching and research resources. The aim is to encourage international collaboration, experimental work and the development of new art projects in the academic environment. Residencies connect students and teachers with international practices and enable the development of interdisciplinary artistic research.

Bauhaus Study Rooms 2025 / BAUHAUS ECOLOGIES

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The international project Bauhaus Study Rooms 2025 is part of the Bauhaus Ecologies initiative led by Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau, and brings together partners from Croatia, Slovenia and Germany. The project explores contemporary interpretations of Bauhaus pedagogy with an emphasis on ecology, interdisciplinarity and experimental learning methods. The Teaching Department of the Academy of Fine Arts participates through the development of contemporary educational models and research of objects from the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Zagreb related to the history of the Bauhaus. Students and teachers participate in workshops, lectures and an international symposium in Dessau. The project encourages the connection of art, design and ecology and develops new pedagogical approaches based on sensory learning, working with materials and transdisciplinary research. In the long term, it contributes to the internationalization of teaching, the development of sustainable educational models and the strengthening of international cooperation.

UNEDUCATION

UNEDUCATION is an international multi-year project developed in cooperation between the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb and the NABA Academy in Milan, aimed at critically questioning contemporary educational models in art. The project explores the boundaries of institutional knowledge, alternative forms of learning and the concept of "unlearning", i.e. unlearning established patterns of thinking and working. Through the cooperation of students and teachers from different art institutions, experimental models of knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary dialogue and collective research processes are developed. A special focus is placed on changes in education after the pandemic and on more flexible and accessible models of art education. The project includes workshops, research activities and joint exhibitions that present the results of the participants' work. UNEDUCATION contributes to the development of an international academic network, critical thinking and contemporary approaches to art education.

GAME - Gamified Approaches for Maximizing Educator Competencies

GAME - Gamified Approaches for Maximazing Educator competencies M is an international project that explores the possibilities of applying gamification and digital tools in the education of future teachers of fine and visual arts. The project is implemented in cooperation with institutions from Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is focused on the development of innovative didactic materials based on the principles of play and interactive learning. Through the integration of digital games, social networks and internet resources into formal education, the project seeks to encourage creativity, visualization and active participation of students in the teaching process. Activities include the development of educational tools, research of modern teaching methods and international exchange of knowledge and experience among teachers and students. The long-term goal of the project is to modernize study programs, strengthen interdisciplinarity and train teachers for the application of modern digital methods in art education.

Curatorial Practices in the Contemporary Art Field

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The launch of the new study program Curatorial Practices in Contemporary Art (*in English) is planned for the academic year 2028/29. The institutional partner network for the development of the new program as well as the methodology are designed based on the work on the projects ASH MA (Erasmus Mundus Design Measures), Bauahaus Ecoloigies (Bauahaus Dessau) and UnEducation (NABA - La Nuova Accademia delle Belle Arti), and continuous cooperation with the internationally renowned curatorial collectives WHW and Kontejner, whose members have been teaching at the Academy of Fine Arts as external associates for many years, and will be involved in the realization of the program. These external associates, together with members of the Department of Teaching (initiator of the program) and the Department of Theoretical Subjects, make up the working group for the development of the new study program, which has been operating continuously since 2023. Following the activities carried out, the Academy of Fine Arts is preparing the application of the program for accreditation, and the application for the enrollment of the occupational standards (CROQF) curator is in the process of approval (proposal for use: September, 2026).

ASH Summer School: Art, Science & Health

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The ASH: Art, Science & Health Summer School is designed as an intensive educational and research program that connects art, science and health-focused practices through an interdisciplinary approach. The program is intended for students and young professionals in the fields of visual arts, theory, medicine, psychology, education and social sciences. During one week, participants will work daily in small groups with mentors – artists, researchers and experts in the field of health – developing project tasks on topics such as mental health, ecology of the body, the influence of the environment on perception and creativity, corporeality and care. The program includes lectures, practical workshops, fieldwork and presentation of final works in public space or gallery format. A special focus is placed on the development of collaborative and participatory methods, as well as the application of artistic work in socially sensitive contexts. The summer school takes place in the space of the Academy of Fine Arts and in the field (garden, park, gallery space), which strengthens the integration of outdoor space and experiential learning.