Croatia's music festival potential will have the spotlight for the first time in Paris.
Croatia as a music festival destination will be presented for the first time from September 26-28, 2018, in Paris at the Paris Electronic Week global music conference. 17 Croatian representatives of the electronic scene, such as DJs, promoters, producers - including Pero FullHouse, Petar Dundov, and the editor of the portal Klubskascena Goran Tomašević - will participate on Croatia’s behalf, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on September 22, 2018.
The three-day program aims to connect and network the Croatian electronic forces with the rest of the world, present the Republic of Croatia in the European capitals of culture, as well as introduce the electro-scene into the cultural map of Croatia. The experience will culminate with a party at Concrete in Paris, considered one of the best clubs in the world, where some of Croatia’s musicians will perform.
“This is the first presentation of this type for Croatia on the foreign market. We can learn a lot from a team that organizes events such as Techno Parade and Paris Electronic Week, and generally from a country that long ago institutionally recognized electronic music as a part of the culture and began investing considerable resources into the development of young creators. We have the opportunity to present Croatia as a festival destination where in the summer, famous international brands bring the best names and thus we can attract new investors to our festival tourism and clubbing,” reveals Tomašević.
In terms of festival tourism, Croatia should still be presented to the world after Ultra, Moondance, Seasplash, Dimensions, Outlook, and others.
“All of these festivals have done tremendous promotion for Croatia for years, but the point of our project is to go to markets that still do not have established relationships with our destinations and promoters, i.e. market expansion and opening up visibility, attracting new agencies, festival brands, and our musicians and the whole cultural and creative industry will have more engagement,” added Tomašević.
“I think there is still room for attracting new guests to existing events, as well as for new events, especially in the pre-season and post-season. Croatia has a lot of comparative advantages because it has incredible locations from Pula to Dubrovnik and inland. Many people still do not know that for a maximum two-hour flight, they can visit the European pearl and enjoy the highest quality music events,” said Pero FullHouse.
“With this panel within Paris Electronic Week, we will present a legal and logistical framework to potential foreign investors, promoters and legal investors, where we can open new festivals and events. If we take into account that event tourism is one of the most promising branches of tourism, I do not need much to explain what this means for Croatia,” adds Pero FullHouse, who will be in Paris with the rest of the team members to show the benefits of investing in the Croatian festival scene.
“We will present what potential investors are waiting for and how everything can be met. We already have experienced people, locations, as well as the know how. We will all offer it to foreign organizers who will then bring its brands and audiences to Croatia. Paris Electronic Week takes place after the Techno Parade where I performed at its very beginnings, in 1998 and 1999. It is the same organizer, so there is the possibility of organizing similar events in Croatia,” Pero continues.
This possibility is also believed by legendary DJ Jean-Marie Kone, a friend of Croatia, who encouraged the country to present at the Paris Electronic Week.
“Since 2011, I have tried to bring the Techno Parade to Croatia twice, but every time there would be a problem. And in 2015, we were ready to invite the club scene on trucks for the parade, but unfortunately, as you know, in November 2015 we had a terrible terrorist attack and we had to cancel everything. Now seems to be the perfect moment because this is the 20th anniversary of the Techno Parade, the scene is mature, some artists are now recognized throughout the world, and it was obvious that this is the right moment. A moment to show Croatians that after 20 years of work, proposals, controversy with the authorities, we show that they are now supporting and respecting the techno culture.”
"Association Technopol now works with full government support. I would like something to happen in Croatia where people get together in associations or groups and bring changes for different types of artists to the scene itself to make it stronger and show the authorities that they seriously want it to become part of the country's cultural landscape, that it’s not just fun and dance at a techno party. I think the time has come for it,” says Kone, who also believes in the possibility that Croatia will become the Paris Electronic Week organizer in the future.
“That would be great, of course it is possible, and to be honest, I hope that this year is only the beginning of this Croatian-French cooperation. My idea is that more Croatian artists come to France to have the platform next year. This time we used the budget we had and if this year goes well I'm pretty sure together we can organize PEW or the Techno Parade. As long as I am one of the organizers, I will try to do this, and I promise this to the Croatian audience. The last thing I wanted to say to everyone in Croatia who supported, helped and loved me through these 22 years, is once again thank you for everything you have contributed to my life. I love you all,” concluded Kone.
