Scene
In May 2025, the City of Zagreb becomes the host of a festival dedicated to independent print and self-publishing – Štampić: Prvi pomak [eng. Štampić: First Move]. This innovative and inclusive cultural event will take place from May 8th to 10th across the venues of the organizing collective – the print collective Smak Press, Studio-Gallery Klet at Ilica 73, and the spaces of Gallery Siva and Akc Attack. Over the course of three days, visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of alternative publishing, art print, zines, comics, and creative collaboration on both a local and regional level.
Štampić is envisioned as a platform for gathering authors, printers, illustrators, designers, comic creators, and collectives, as well as all those working outside the mainstream publishing industry. As one of the rare festivals of its kind in Croatia, Štampić is more than just a festival — it is a meeting point of ideas, creative energy, and DIY spirit.
Štampić is important not only because it brings together local and regional participants on this level for the first time in Croatia, but also because it positions the Croatian scene within a broader regional and European context. While Slovenia leads with strong festivals and infrastructure, and Serbia nurtures a powerful grassroots approach through festivals such as Novo Doba, Štampić, in its first edition, is forging its own path, balancing institutional support, guerrilla tactics, and independent improvisation.
Compared to major European centers like Berlin, Paris, or Brussels, the Croatian scene is still intimate and self-grown, but it is precisely this that gives it its unique energy. In a time dominated by digital formats, Štampić reminds us how the physical imprint — the trace of ink on paper and the texture of the page under our fingers — remains a powerful form of communication.
Festival Program
Day One – Thursday, May 8
Opening of the exhibition “Cake” by Slovenian artist Sonja Vulpes at Gallery Siva at 7 PM. The exhibition presents her latest series of prints, which, through motifs of self-portraiture, cake, and flowers, focus on an intimate exploration of self-love.
Later that evening, at 9 PM in the venue Akc Attack, a concert will be held by the duo denevér from Csepel and Chile, combining bass, guitar, and drum machine in a sound that blends post-punk, new wave, and touches of dream pop.
For those craving good food, there will also be People’s Kitchen – a solidarity-based community kitchen that feeds more than just your belly.
Day Two – Friday, May 9
The festival moves to the courtyard of Ilica 73, where at 7 PM in the Studio-Gallery Klet, the opening of the exhibition“Prepreka savršenom očajanju” [eng. “Obstacle to Perfect Despair”] by Belgrade artist Sofija Pašalić aka kexymleky will take place. The exhibition consists of a series of drawings that depict the tension between living a constructed “urban life” and an idealized, imagined natural life off the “grid.”
At the same time, on the other side of the Ilica 73 courtyard in the Smak Press print studio, the Tiskoteka printer’s gathering will take place – a showcase of leading printmakers from the region. Smak Press will host the iconic Matrijaršija from Belgrade and Partizan Print from Skopje, presenting their multi-year archives to the public.
At 8:30 PM, also in the Smak Press print shop, performances will be held by Zdenko Franjić, known artistically as Wandering DJ Zdena – a Croatian independent musician and publisher. Wandering DJ Zdena has been a cornerstone of the alternative scene in Croatia and the region since the late 1980s, and his publishing house is considered the first independent record label in Yugoslavia. The evening will also feature a performance by TheBelly, the alter ego of Belgrade artist Stefan Ćirić.
The rest of the evening will continue in the Ilica 73 courtyard with a DJ set by DJ Karton and a VJ performance by the leilamarinaena collective, composed of Ena Jurov, Leila Kasumović, and Marina Jukić.
Day Three – Saturday, May 10
Starting at 12 PM and lasting until 9 PM, the Ilica 73 courtyard will host a fair of local and regional print collectives, artists, illustrators, designers, and publishing houses, including:
Matrijaršija, VARIKINA, Tearzdrop (Belgrade, Serbia) / Grafička mreža (Novi Sad, Serbia), Komikaze (Zagreb, Croatia), Potato Publishing (Linz, Austria), Hurrikan Press (Budapest, Hungary), Edições da Ruína (Lisbon, Portugal), Urška Alič (Slovenia), Partizan Print (Skopje, North Macedonia), Marko Šajn & Leon Zuodar (Slovenia), Sonja Vulpes (Slovenia), Lutajući DJ Zdena, Smak Press, Apolonija Lučić, Agata Lučić, Dorotea Škrabo, Čardak Studios, Oaza Books, svensvensven, and Vjetroslav Prdinski (Croatia).
Simultaneously, from 12 PM in the Smak Press print studio, a live screen-printing workshop will take place, where visitors can bring their own garments and have a festival-themed design printed in exchange for a donation. Visitors can also learn more about printing techniques such as mimeograph, gel print, and monotype in workshops led by Hurrikan Press and Grafička mreža.
The final evening of the festival will conclude at Ilica 73 with a concert by the Zagreb-based rock band from another galaxy, Peglica i Komandos, starting at 8 PM.
The festival’s subtitle, “First Move”, not only symbolizes the event’s inaugural edition but also emphasizes the opening of a space for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and creative production on both local and regional levels through various forms of independent publishing.
“For everyone – regardless of age, experience, or profession. Whether you’re a design student, amateur illustrator, artist, print media enthusiast, or simply a curious visitor – Štampić invites you to discover what it means to create, share, and print with your own hands,” – say the organizers.
For a detailed program and the latest updates, follow the festival’s official Instagram profile.
