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about the project

The HEALING NATURE project demonstrates the power of displaying nature/soothing elements of the environment, through various media in hospital spaces, to support the mental, physical and spiritual health of the individual and the hospital community. Most of the artwork in hospitals is traditional murals, paintings and sculptures, while there is a lack of contemporary interactive artwork and animation in children’s waiting rooms of hospitals. Therefore, the main goal of the project is to create an interactive experience using augmented reality (AR) with animated content, to ensure a pleasant and calming hospital environment that also provides a soothing and distracting experience for children.

The project’s goals and objectives focus on innovation and social inclusion issues through the use of a screen-free format (SCREENless), which is efficient, sustainable and low-cost, while at the same time incorporating a layered interactive experience that combines murals with animated digital elements in an augmented reality format. The aim is to design innovative and engaging moving image interventions that encourage children to respond to space and interact with each other, rather than being passive observers.

The project promotes the traditional "sensory" visual quality of hand-made techniques, enriching it with modern immersive technologies that combine digital animation with elements of the real world. The project aims to strengthen social inclusion through a public hospital system, accessible to all, as well as through workshops on nature, art, animation and technology for hospital communities, and in particular for marginalized children, whose contributions and creative results will become part of the artworks.

It also includes a research component in the form of a questionnaire for patients/viewers to assess the impact of the artworks. The implementation of the project will be summarized in a digital manual, which will be distributed upon completion in all partner countries.

The project continues the two pilot projects implemented so far, authored by Dr. Art. Melinda Šefčić and Dr. Phil. Lee Vidaković, which were realized in the premises of KBC Zagreb in 2021 ("Digital Fauna") and 2023 ("Animated Forest World in the Hospital Space").

The project budget is EUR 248,986.62, of which EUR 199,189.30 is financed by the EU.

The project includes:

  • 3 murals in hospitals in Croatia, Bulgaria and Portugal;
  • 3 augmented reality experiences in hospitals in Croatia, Bulgaria and Portugal;
  • 6 workshops with children;
  • 1 research on the impact of such content on patients and hospital employees;
  • 1 digital booklet with a presentation of the results;
  • and 3 press conferences where the project results will be presented

partners

CROATIAN ASSOCIATION OF FINE ARTISTS (HDLU), CROATIA

HDLU is the largest arts organization with an uninterrupted 153-year tradition of activity, which brings together around 2,000 visual media artists from all over Croatia. HDLU is headquartered at the House of Croatian Artists / Meštrović Pavilion in Zagreb, while the association also manages an additional gallery space, Karas, and around 10 artist studios. HDLU annually organizes around 40 exhibition projects in Croatia and abroad, around 30 artist residencies abroad, educational programs for artists to work on the market, awards annual professional awards, implements EU projects that improve the formal art education system and integrate people with fewer opportunities into society through work with artists, conducts public competitions for art solutions in public spaces, etc. The work of HDLU is financially supported by the Ministry of Culture, the City of Zagreb, the Office for NGOs of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the Tourist Board of the City of Zagreb, the European Commission, the National Foundation for the Development of Civil Society, corporate sponsors, private donors, and members of the association. HDLU annually runs 2-3 EU projects; He was the coordinator of the ESF project "Art for people over 54" and the K2 Erasmus+ projects: "Arts of Freedom" and "Art2Business", and he was and remains a partner in various Erasmus+ and Creative Europe projects.

NEW BULGARIAN UNIVERSITY (NBU), BULGARIA

New Bulgarian University is a modern university of great national importance that actively participates in international university networks. Founded in September 1991 as a response to the need for a new model of liberal education, the university initiated significant reforms in Bulgarian higher education by introducing undergraduate and graduate studies, admission based on a general knowledge test, interdisciplinary and individual undergraduate programs, smaller programs, a credit system, distance and online education, an innovative university environment, and opportunities for lifelong learning. NBU's academic profile emphasizes social sciences and humanities, natural sciences, new technologies, and the arts. The university offers alternative programs and practice-oriented education, encouraging free choice of students and attracting prominent experts as lecturers. The university offers students an environment of civic engagement and public awareness, thus creating students with high academic competence and practical skills, enterprising, and socially responsible. Through international programs, NBU creates favorable conditions for student mobility. As part of an international university network, NBU is always open to a dialogue between academic traditions and modernity, aiming to create new contributions and practices. The motto of NBU is Ne varietatem timeamus (“Let us not be afraid of diversity”). As the largest private university in Bulgaria, NBU strives to put its academic potential at the service of society and to respond to social and economic changes with its projects. Over the past 15 years, the university has continuously implemented socially oriented projects and has received a number of awards for its contribution to the systematic resolution of current social problems.

UNIVERSIDADE LUSÓFONA / COFAC, PORTUGAL

Universidade Lusófona (UL) is a comprehensive university with educational and research activities in various scientific fields, from health sciences, engineering, social sciences to business and management. In parallel, UL is the leading provider of education in the field of film and media in Portugal, with campuses in the two capitals of the country: Lisbon and Porto. The university has a very strong international profile that directly stems from its mission focused on the development of Portuguese-speaking countries, with a high international profile of its educational, research and innovation activities. The Department of Film and Media Arts and the research unit CICANT – the Centre for Research in Communication and Media Arts – are very active in the Iberian Peninsula region and Europe, currently promoting several projects and deepening the relationship between education, research and innovation in Europe. The university is a member of the NEB (New European Bauhaus), an active participant in numerous E+, Horizon and EIT initiatives and coordinator of FilmEU – the University Alliance for Media Arts. Arts and media are a key aspect of the university's activities, and Lusófona brings not only extensive experience and offerings in these domains, but also its specific focus on Portuguese-speaking countries, especially in Africa and South America. UL also has a long history of participating in major educational, research and innovation projects at an international level. In recent years, UL has participated in numerous projects where its expertise, for example in film and media arts, has played a key role in promoting democracy through the development of training methodologies and digital skills to empower citizens and strengthen different forms of civic participation, such as the projects Dici-Educa; YouNDigital; Youth for youth; FemGlocal; Read Twice; EEAD; Fem-able; Women and Media; E-Skills; Debaqui; Rethink.

activities

murals


CROATIAN MURAL
Mural: The Forest of Little Wonders

Locations:

  • KBC Sestre milosrdnice – Clinic for Tumors, Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology with the Day Hospital “Mladen Ćepulić” – leased by the Zagreb Children’s Hospital, Croatia / 3rd floor
  • Zagreb Children’s Hospital, Croatia / Emergency Department – ground floor
  • ISUL University Hospital “Queen Ioanna”, Sofia, Bulgaria / Opposite the entrance of the Clinic of Paediatric Clinical Haematology and Oncology
  • Dona Estefânia Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal / Emergency Department waiting area

Artist: Melinda Šefčić

Collaborators in mural creation: djeca iz Kuće sv. Franje Caritasa Zagrebačke nadbiskupije u Vugrovcu, SOS Dječje selo Lekenik, OŠ Ivan Gundulić i dječjeg vrtića Krijesnice

Project partners: New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria); Universidade Lusófona / Cofac (Portugal); Zagreb Children’s Hospital; KBC Sestre milosrdnice; ISUL University Hospital “Queen Ioanna”, Sofia, Bulgaria; Dona Estefânia Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal; SOS Children’s Village Lekenik; House of St. Francis, Caritas of the Archdiocese of Zagreb in Vugrovec; Ivan Gundulić Elementary School; Krijesnice Kindergarten

Year: 2025

Description:

The Forest of Little Wonders is a collaborative work by artist Melinda Šefčić and children from the House of St. Francis, Caritas of the Archdiocese of Zagreb in Vugrovec, SOS Children’s Village Lekenik, Krijesnice Kindergarten, and Ivan Gundulić Elementary School. Melinda created a rich, layered background resembling a forest that spreads in waves of greenery, playing with light, leaves, and floral shapes flowing into each other like a gentle, natural rhythm. Into this densely interwoven forest, children’s playful creativity gently entered, forming animals and beings born from imagination — colorful birds, unusual turtles, insects, and small forest creatures that seem to pause among the treetops, observing, rustling, and carrying their quiet stories. Their drawings bring warmth and immediacy, a spontaneous poetic touch of a child’s perspective, transforming this forest into a place of encounter, discovery, and joy.

In the next phase of the project, the forest will gain its digital soul. Artist Lea Vidaković, together with animators Katrin Novaković, João Miguel Real, and Matea Kovač, will bring The Forest of Little Wonders to life using AR technology. Parts of the mural — animals, plants, flowers, and hidden details — will soon come alive in 2D and 3D animation in Lea’s recognizable poetic, tactile, and emotionally rich style.


BULGARIAN MURAL
Mural: The Lilies and the White Pond

Locations:

  • Zagreb Children’s Hospital, Croatia / 3rd floor
  • ISUL University Hospital “Queen Ioanna”, Sofia, Bulgaria / Next to the entrance of the Pediatric ENT Department
  • Dona Estefânia Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal / Immunoallergology waiting area

Artistic supervisors: Vessela Dantcheva – Bogdanova, dr.sc.; Sevina Ivanova, dr.sc.; Kalina Hristova, dr.sc.
Artists: Lidia Cvetkova (NBU students)
Project partners: HDLU (Croatia); Universidade Lusófona / Cofac (Portugal); Zagreb Children’s Hospital Zagreb; ISUL University Hospital “Queen Ioanna”, Sofia, Bulgaria; Dona Estefânia Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal
Year: 2025

Description:

The mural depicts a scene inspired by fairy tales — peaceful, fantastical, and timeless. Fairy tales are stories we all grew up with, filled with hope, magic, and love. The mural’s color palette consists of soft pastel tones, chosen to create a soothing atmosphere.
While vibrant colors can be stimulating, the mural provides a sense of calm in a space that can often feel overwhelming. White, though often associated with sterility, also symbolizes tranquility and serenity. It interacts beautifully with light, changing tone throughout the day.
Evgenia Stoitseva (BA Visual Arts student, NBU) worked closely with mural artist Lidia Cvetkova, developing model sheets for all characters — including turnarounds and various poses — to support the animators’ work. Lidia Cvetkova is motivated by the desire to bring peace and comfort to patients in the hospital through her art, hoping the mural will lift the spirits of children and adults alike during difficult times. Evgenia Stoitseva believes her contribution can bring hope, color, and meaning to children in a hospital environment, creating a space where they feel valued and loved.


PORTUGALSKI MURAL
Mural: Proljetni povjetarac

Locations:

  • Klinika za dječje bolesti Zagreb, Hrvatska / 2. kat
  • Sveučilišna bolnica ISUL „Kraljica Ioanna“, Sofija, Bugarska / Pored ulaza u dječji prijem u hitnom odjelu
  • Bolnica Dona Estefânia, Lisabon, Portugal / Čekaonica – Laboratorij za vađenje krvi


Artist: Natalie Woolf
Umjetničke direktorice: Natalie Woolf, Ana Cortes
Realizacija murala: Ana Cortes, Daniela Tietzen, Paulo Diogo Simão
Project partners: HDLU (Hrvatska); New Bulgarian University (Bugarska); Klinika za dječje bolesti Zagreb; Sveučilišna bolnica ISUL „Kraljica Ioanna“, Sofija, Bugarska; Bolnica Dona Estefânia, Lisabon, Portugal
Year: 2025

Description:

Tim muralista s Universidade Lusófona osmislio je dizajn temeljen na livadi u proljetnom vremenu, inspiriran vodenim bojama pojedinih biljaka i krajolika, podržavajući prethodna istraživanja o prirodi akvarela kao “prirodnog elementa” koji pruža gledateljima osjećaj sigurnosti i smirenosti. Slika murala razvijena je u više slojeva kako bi bila dostupna i za animaciju i AR aplikaciju. Naziv rada je Proljetni povjetarac, evocirajući vrijeme godine kada se pojavljuje najviše svježeg rasta i novih početaka, a animirani pokreti bit će vidljivi kroz AR aplikaciju.

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Selected hospitals:

Croatia

KBC Sestre milosrdnice – Clinic for Tumors, Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology with the Day Hospital “Mladen Ćepulić” – leased by the Zagreb Children’s Hospital (Clinic for Pediatric Diseases)

The Sisters of Charity Hospital (KBC Sestre milosrdnice) is one of the oldest hospitals in Southern Europe, founded in 1846 through the initiative of Cardinal Juraj Haulik, the Archbishop of Zagreb. The current campus on Vinogradska Street was developed in 1894 by German architect Kuno Waidmann. The hospital was run by nuns for many decades and has since evolved into a modern clinical centre with 17 clinics, 7 specialized institutes, and over 2,300 staff members. It also serves as an educational facility for medical, dental, and nursing schools.

Zagreb Children’s Hospital

The Children’s Hospital in Klaićeva Street in Zagreb was founded in 1904 as the first specialized children’s hospital in Croatia, initiated by physicians and humanists with strong support from the city authorities and benefactors. Housed in a purpose-built facility designed to meet the needs of children, the hospital was from the outset oriented toward modern pediatric standards, prevention, and care for the youngest patients. Throughout the 20th century, it continuously developed, introduced new specialties, and became the central pediatric institution in the country, maintaining to this day a key role in treatment, education, and scientific research in the field of pediatric medicine.

One mural was installed on the wall of the Clinic for Tumors, Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology with the Day Hospital “Mladen Ćepulić,” while three murals found their place at the Zagreb Children’s Hospital.

Bulgaria – ISUL “Queen Joanna” University Hospital, Sofia

The University Multiprofile Hospital “Queen Joanna – ISUL” has a rich history dating back to 1927, when it was established as a hospital for insured workers. Construction began in 1934, and it was named in honor of Queen Joanna, who became its symbolic patron. Since the 1950s, ISUL has grown into a key academic and medical institution, offering specialized diagnostics, treatment, and education. It is home to the only pediatric ENT department in Western Bulgaria, where cochlear implants are also performed.

The mural locations within ISUL Hospital include the entrance to the Clinic for Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, the entrance to the Department of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology (ENT), and the entrance to the pediatric emergency department.

Portugal – Dona Estefânia Hospital, Lisbon

Founded in 1877 in honor of Queen Stephanie, Dona Estefânia Hospital was the first healthcare facility in Portugal dedicated exclusively to pediatric care. Its design was praised by Florence Nightingale as a model children’s hospital. Today, it is part of the Central Lisbon University Hospital Centre and offers a wide range of national pediatric specialties. By 2027, its services are expected to relocate to a new hospital complex, while the current building will continue to host child-focused care facilities.

Mural locations include the waiting areas of the emergency department, immunoallergology, and the Laboratory Blood Analises Clinic.

animation

ar

workshops


As part of the project, the Croatian Association of Fine Artists (HDLU) organized two art workshops with children without adequate parental care. The aim of these workshops was to encourage children’s creative expression and to incorporate their artwork into the final mural design, which will become part of an interactive experience in a hospital setting.

The first workshop was held on February 24, 2025, at Kuća sv. Franje in Vugrovec and was attended by 15 children aged 6 to 14. Under the guidance of artist Melinda Šefčić, the children created drawings of endangered animals, birds, and insects using markers and colored pencils. Through both structured and free drawing sessions, a total of 30 artworks were produced. In addition to creative expression, the workshop included an educational component about nature conservation. The children also took the initiative to create a picture book and drawings with supportive messages for hospital patients.

The second workshop took place on March 18, 2025, at SOS Children’s Village Lekenik, with 12 children aged 6 to 11 participating. Following a similar program to the first workshop, the children, guided by artist Melinda Šefčić, created 25 drawings themed around endangered animals and were also given the opportunity to draw freely. The workshop had educational and therapeutic dimensions.


As part of the project, the New Bulgarian University (NBU) organised two art workshops in Sofia, aimed at children without adequate parental care and children with developmental difficulties. The purpose of the workshops was to encourage children’s creative expression and to collect visual and narrative material that will be used in the development of animations and the final mural design for hospital environments.

The first workshop was held on 17 May 2025 at the “Hug me” Gallery in Sofia and was divided into two groups (11:00–13:00 and 14:00–17:00). A total of 15 children aged 6 to 15 (5 boys and 10 girls) participated. The activities were led by artists and mentors, with the support of a supervisor from the “Hug me” organisation and undergraduate students from NBU’s Animation and Visual Arts programmes.

The guiding question of the workshop was “Who lives there?”, and the children were presented with ten natural environments taken from the students’ project proposals. Through drawing and storytelling, the children created characters—both real and imaginary—that inhabit these environments. Guided activities encouraged emotional expression, creativity, and free artistic exploration. During the workshop, 52 artworks were created, which will serve as inspiration for the mural and animations.


The second workshop was held on 30 August 2025 at the “Winnie the Pooh” Speech Therapy Centre in central Sofia. Eight children aged 6 to 8 (3 boys and 5 girls) participated, including children with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and developmental language disorder (DLD). The activities were led by a psychologist, artists, students, speech therapists, and representatives of NBU.

The workshop was dedicated to the final design of the mural “The Lilies and the White Pond” by Lidia Cvetkova. The children drew animals that inhabit the depicted natural environment, with the option to create additional drawings based on their own imagination. A total of 24 drawings were produced, and the workshop had a strong educational and therapeutic impact. Through creative activities, the workshop supported the development of fine motor skills, attention, emotional expression, empathy, and the overall well-being of the children.

press conferences

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

[Project number: 101173267]

The views expressed in this release are the sole responsibility of the Croatian Association of Fine Artists and do not necessarily reflect the stance of the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs of the Republic of Croatia.