The Golden Drum International Festival of Creativity, one of the few regional festivals included in the WARC Creative Rankings, has officially opened its call for entries for the 2026 edition. Agencies, advertisers, media companies and creatives from 40 countries are invited to submit their best work ahead of this year’s festival, which will once again take place in Portorož, Slovenia, on 12 and 13 October.
Campaigns that were published, aired or publicly released for the first time between 23 August 2025 and 26 August 2026 are eligible to compete for the Golden Drum awards. Participants can submit entries across six competition sections: One-Channel Drum, Omni-Channel Drum, Craft Drum, Creative Media Excellence Drum, Creative Business Excellence Drum and the All Juries Section.
The Game Changer group, intended for campaigns that challenge traditional ways of advertising through their idea, concept or execution, remains the only competition group open worldwide.
Entrants can take advantage of Super Early Bird entry fees until 22 April 2026, while the final deadline for submissions is 26 August 2026. The Golden Drum shortlist will be announced on 29 September, while the winners will be revealed during the awards ceremony on 13 October.
Alongside the competition launch, the festival has introduced a new distinction for 2026. The UNFPA Inclusion Excellence Award, presented in partnership with UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, will be awarded within the All Juries Section to recognise creative work that actively contributes to gender equality and social inclusion.
The award aims to highlight projects that challenge stereotypes and promote more inclusive narratives in society. Eligible work may address themes such as the redefinition of gender roles, the visibility and leadership of women in traditionally male dominated industries, inclusive representation of older people and persons with disabilities, as well as the dismantling of stereotypes related to gender, age, ethnicity, disability or sexual orientation.
Mojca Briščik, President of the Golden Drum Festival, emphasised that the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to advancing meaningful change through creativity. “We are honoured that the Golden Drum Festival is recognised as a trusted and valued partner to UNFPA in advancing such a meaningful and far reaching mission. Through the UNFPA Inclusion Excellence Award we stand united in championing ideas that challenge stereotypes, advance gender equality and foster true social inclusion. It is a privilege for Golden Drum to support initiatives that help shape a world where no individual’s opportunities are constrained by their gender, background or identity.”
The festival also continues its collaboration with thenetworkone, the global network of independent agencies. Through this partnership, Grand Prix and Gold winning work from independent agencies at Golden Drum will automatically qualify for the Global Indie Awards, providing an additional international platform for recognition.
The Golden Drum Festival, which has been bringing together creative professionals from across Europe for more than three decades, was originally founded with the aim of connecting creatives from what were once considered “new European” markets. Today it stands as one of the most recognised regional festivals in the global advertising landscape.
In addition to submitting entries, industry professionals can also secure their delegate passes for the festival, which will once again gather agencies, brands and creatives for two days of talks, networking and celebration of the best work in advertising.
Readers of Media Marketing can receive a 20 percent discount on delegate passes for the festival. When purchasing passes, participants can use the code BIH2026GD to receive the discount. The organisers encourage industry professionals from the region to take advantage of the opportunity and join the international creative community in Portorož this October.
