Voting for the Ambassador Award has ended

Voting for the best achievements in electronic music for the 2024 Croatian Ambassador Awards has ended.  It is awarded for the eighth time in a row by the Klubska Scena portal, and the project is implemented by the Klubska Kultura association. 

The award ceremony will take place on Friday, December 13, 2024, at KUC Travno Zagreb, where the program will be opened for the first time with the exhibition of the most famous regional photographer Marko Obradović Edge called "Totalka". 

The two-day program will be enriched by musical performances by bands and live acts and a discursive program that will be held the following day, December 14, in the Zagreb hip Radionica 32.

Goran Tomašević

 "With his appearance, the Ambassador managed to do something that no one else has managed to do, not only in Croatia but also in the entire region - in eight years of holding, eight times we gathered the vast majority of actors of the electronic music industry in one place. This is what we live for in this project - gathering, fellowship, connection, exchange of ideas, networking in the ex-YU region. I would say a great wealth for the scene itself, which we are not even aware of how much it means" - says the founder of the Ambassador Award, Goran Tomašević. 

This year, among the 200 nominees, Zone Club from Kosovo was nominated for the best club in the region, while the event Kosovo Philharmonic Orchestra with Derrick May was nominated for the best regional event of the year. Also, Don Dobruna was nominated for the best graphic design of the year for his work on the Independence Night project. 

“First, I congratulate and thank the Nagrada Ambassadors for their initiative and work. This is an excellent idea since in the Balkan region there are many clubs and events that offer quality and exemplary organization. This helps us to bring many more visitors from other regions of Europe and the world. I think that Zone Club deserves a place among the nominated clubs, because for 14 consecutive years, in the 2 winter and summer seasons, it has offered quality events and world-renowned artists such as Ricardo Villalobos, Loco Dice, Solomun, Black Coffee, Luciano, Deborah De Luca, Craig Richards, Seth Troxler, Raresh, Rhadoo, Cap, and many, many other artists, who I can't remember all at the moment, and for that I apologize. Furthermore, I want to emphasize one more important fact: our commitment to local artists. The spaces we have offered them, along with their work, desire and dedication to success, have now led them to perform around the globe, at various festivals and clubs” - said Kreshnik Gjikokaj part of UNUM festival and booking agent of Zone club. 

“I feel honored to be part of the Nagrada Ambasador event, thus supporting the vibrant electronic music scene in the Balkans. My contribution to the Kosovo electronic scene through visuals, posters and marketing is always a task that I carry out with enthusiasm. I strongly believe that our country has a lot to offer in this genre. Kosovo’s energy, talent and passion for electronic music deserve greater appreciation and promotion, so I am happy to be part of the efforts to show the world its potential. We will continue to break boundaries and put Kosovo on the global map!” - said Don Dobruna. 

The upcoming eighth edition of the Ambassador Award also brings some new categories. One of the changes refers to the category "Graphic design of the year in Croatia and the region", which evolved from previous categories such as visual solution of the year and art design of the year. 

This category will be judged on works in any digital or print format, such as posters, flyers, program booklets, vinyl covers, singles, remixes, EPs, albums, social media designs, artist logos or any graphic art visuals. designs related to the electronic music scene. 

The novelty is that the category "Graphic Design of the Year in Croatia and the Region" has become an exclusively professional award this year. 

"We are often criticized for having too many categories, but many do not take into account the fact that from 2016 to today we have expanded to the entire ex-YU region. It should be kept in mind that some categories are unsustainable, so in order to keep a certain niche of the scene alive and encourage artists to continue to work, we decided to create such a category at the regional level and to connect that scene in that regard." - adds Goran Tomasevic. 

When asked whether the cultural electronic music scene can be compared to the region, Tomašević and Gjikokaj answered: 

"The offer of festivals and music events can certainly be compared with numerous author releases, but there is still a lot to work on in the attempt comparisons with the rest of the world" - concludes Tomašević. 

“The electronic scene in Kosovo, thanks to our team that does a tireless job, but also thanks to the work of past generations who have worked tirelessly and never gave up to make Kosovo a popular destination for nightlife and entertainment in the Balkans, today we are where we are. This is also shown by the fact that in the 5 editions of Unum Festival, which is our project that is held in Albania in partnership with partners from Europe, we have managed to reap success and gather a considerable number of visitors in each edition. Now this has become a hotspot for people who like electronic music. Finally, I appeal to all those who like electronic music who have not yet been to the Balkans, and specifically to Zone Club: come, because you will not regret it and you will come back for a second time!” - said Gjikokaj. 

Check out Don Dobruna's work [HERE] 

The Ambassador Award is not only a celebration of achievements in electronic music, but also a strong incentive for the further development of the scene in the Balkans and beyond. This project not only recognizes the exceptionality of individuals and collectives, but connects actors from the entire region, inspiring new ideas and collaborations. With an award ceremony in Zagreb and a rich program that brings together artists, designers and music lovers, the Ambassador continues to push the boundaries, confirming that electronic music is not only sound, but also culture, community and a way of life.