Looking Back on the KroNland Festival 2022

At a time when Sisak-Moslavina County was still recovering from the devastating earthquake, KroNland was searching for ways to connect people, strengthen the community, and create space for new ideas. We believed that recovery was not only about rebuilding homes and infrastructure, but also about restoring hope, creativity, and human connections.

One of the most inspiring moments on that journey took place in 2022, when our friends from the Netherlands – Amsterdam Street Art (ASA), joined us in Croatia. At KroNland’s invitation, five Dutch artists travelled to Banovina to participate in the Cultural Industry Festival and demonstrate how art can bring people together and create new opportunities for cooperation.

Art as a Bridge Between Croatia and the Netherlands

Since the founding of KroNland on 10 January 2021, just ten days after the earthquake, one of our key goals has been to build bridges between Croatia and the Netherlands. Through education, culture, sustainable development, and international cooperation, we wanted to show that even small local initiatives can become part of larger European stories.

Our collaboration with Amsterdam Street Art was a perfect example of this vision in action. Artists arrived from Amsterdam to Banovina to create murals, take part in workshops, and meet people who, despite many challenges, continued to build a better future for their community. The festival brought together artists, students, volunteers, citizens, and partners from both Croatia and the Netherlands, demonstrating how culture can become a powerful driver of social change.

More Than Murals

While the murals were the most visible outcome of the project, the most valuable part was the connections created between people. Over several days, new friendships were formed, ideas and experiences were exchanged, and Banovina became a meeting place for different cultures. The artists got to know the local community, while local residents had the opportunity to experience firsthand how creativity can serve as a tool for connection, dialogue, and development. These encounters leave a mark that lasts far longer than the festival itself.

Photographs That Preserve Memories

A special place in this story belongs to Dutch photographer Tim van Vliet, whose photographs documented many moments of cooperation between Croatia and the Netherlands. His images capture much more than events. They tell stories of people, emotions, and the atmosphere that surrounded the creation of new connections between communities. Today, several years later, these photographs allow us to look back and remember the energy, enthusiasm, and optimism that shaped KroNland Festival 2022.

Foundations for Future Projects

Looking back, it is clear that KroNland Festival 2022 was much more than a single event. It became part of a broader story that later led to new Erasmus+ projects, international partnerships, cultural initiatives, and cooperation on the project TRANSFLORIUM – 1001 Green Views of Europe. What began through murals, workshops, and shared experiences continues today through new European initiatives connecting Croatia, the Netherlands, and Greece.

Acknowledgements

We would like to sincerely thank Amsterdam Street Art, all participating artists, partners, volunteers, and friends who were part of KroNland Festival 2022. A special thank you goes to photographer Tim van Vliet, whose photographs continue to tell the story of a period marked by cooperation, creativity, and community spirit. Four years later, we still believe what we believed then:

Art does not change the world overnight, but it changes people. And people change the world.

Photographs: Tim van Vliet
Inspired by: “Kronland 2022” published by Amsterdam Street Art.

Croatian version below

Kada je Amsterdam Street Art došao u Banovinu

Prisjećanje na KroNland Festival 2022

U vremenu kada se Sisak-Moslavačka županija još uvijek oporavljala od posljedica razornog potresa, KroNland je tražio načine kako povezati ljude, obnoviti zajednicu i otvoriti prostor novim idejama. Vjerovali smo da oporavak nije samo obnova kuća i infrastrukture, nego i obnova nade, kreativnosti i međuljudskih odnosa.

Jedan od najljepših trenutaka na tom putu dogodio se 2022. godine kada su nam se pridružili prijatelji iz Nizozemske – organizacija Amsterdam Street Art (ASA). Na poziv KroNlanda, pet nizozemskih umjetnika doputovalo je u Hrvatsku kako bi sudjelovalo na festivalu Kulturna industrija i zajedno s lokalnom zajednicom pokazalo kako umjetnost može povezivati ljude i stvarati nove prilike za suradnju.

Umjetnost kao most između Hrvatske i Nizozemske

Od samog osnutka KroNlanda 10. siječnja 2021., samo deset dana nakon potresa, jedan od naših ciljeva bio je graditi mostove između Hrvatske i Nizozemske. Kroz obrazovanje, kulturu, održivi razvoj i međunarodnu suradnju željeli smo pokazati da i male lokalne inicijative mogu postati dio velikih europskih priča. Suradnja s Amsterdam Street Artom bila je upravo takav primjer. Umjetnici su stigli iz Amsterdama u Banovinu kako bi stvarali murale, sudjelovali u radionicama i upoznali ljude koji su, unatoč izazovima, nastavili graditi bolju budućnost za svoju zajednicu. Festival je okupio umjetnike, učenike, volontere, građane i partnere iz Hrvatske i Nizozemske te pokazao kako kultura može postati pokretač društvenih promjena.

Više od murala

Iako su murali bili najvidljiviji rezultat projekta, najvrjedniji dio ostali su susreti među ljudima. Tijekom nekoliko dana nastajala su nova prijateljstva, razmjenjivale su se ideje i iskustva, a Banovina je postala mjesto susreta različitih kultura. Umjetnici su upoznali lokalnu zajednicu, a lokalna zajednica dobila je priliku iz prve ruke vidjeti kako kreativnost može postati alat za povezivanje i razvoj. Takvi susreti ostavljaju trag koji traje mnogo duže od samog festivala.

Fotografije koje čuvaju uspomene

Posebno mjesto u ovoj priči ima nizozemski fotograf Tim van Vliet, koji je svojim fotografijama zabilježio mnoge trenutke suradnje između Hrvatske i Nizozemske. Njegove fotografije ne prikazuju samo događaje, već ljude, emocije i atmosferu koja je pratila stvaranje novih veza između zajednica. Danas, nekoliko godina kasnije, upravo zahvaljujući tim fotografijama možemo se prisjetiti koliko je energije, entuzijazma i optimizma bilo utkano u KroNland Festival 2022.

Temelji za buduće projekte

Gledajući unatrag, jasno je da KroNland Festival 2022 nije bio samo jedan događaj. Bio je dio šire priče koja je kasnije dovela do novih Erasmus+ projekata, međunarodnih partnerstava, kulturnih programa i suradnje na projektu Transflorium – 1001 Green Views of Europe. Ono što je tada počelo kroz murale, radionice i zajednički rad, danas se nastavlja kroz nove europske inicijative koje povezuju Hrvatsku, Nizozemsku i Grčku.

Zahvala

Od srca zahvaljujemo organizaciji Amsterdam Street Art, svim umjetnicima, partnerima, volonterima i prijateljima koji su bili dio KroNland Festivala 2022. Posebna zahvala ide fotografu Timu van Vlietu, čije fotografije i danas svjedoče o jednom razdoblju suradnje, kreativnosti i zajedništva. Četiri godine kasnije, vjerujemo isto kao i tada:

Umjetnost ne mijenja svijet preko noći, ali mijenja ljude. A ljudi mijenjaju svijet.

Fotografije: Tim van Vliet
Izvor inspiracije: članak „Kronland 2022“ organizacije Amsterdam Street Art.