The Night Mayor of Amsterdam, Freek Wallagh, will attend the Rejvitalizacija conference on Saturday, September 21, at the Aquarius Club in Zagreb. Wallagh, a poet, painter, activist, and political scientist, took on this role in 2023 at just 24 years old, becoming the youngest Night Mayor of this party metropolis since the position was established. Amsterdam, along with over a hundred cities worldwide, has been electing Night Mayors for over a decade, with their role being to represent clubs, bars, artists, and collectives, as well as to advocate for the safety and development of nightlife.
“As a Night Mayor, I aim to be the missing link between clubs, artists, festivals, organizers, and the government. People involved in these fields are often forgotten or neglected, and my job is to represent them,” emphasized the Night Mayor of the capital of the Netherlands.
Wallagh believes the best things happen after sunset, and his mission is to protect the freedom of the night. At Rejvitalizacija, in conversation with the talented young journalist Karla Močković, he will reveal details about what his working day, or rather night, looks like, what cities can do to become clubbing metropolises, and how Amsterdam manages the synergy between residents and partygoers.
Rejvitalizacija is a conference dedicated to the night-time economy, which will have its first edition next weekend and it will be held at a club that is one of the places where Zagreb’s electronic scene first began to develop. The conference addresses the challenges that clubbing has faced in recent years – from the pandemic and inflation to the fact that new generations prefer Netflix & chill over dancing until dawn.
“I think Zagreb and Croatia have a great electronic scene, very diverse, perhaps not huge, but extremely interesting. Organizing such events is not easy, but it is extremely important. Music events are a crucial part of the soul of every city or place, yet they often rely on the enthusiasm of individuals or collectives,” explained Tena Šarčević, the conference organizer.
Lectures and panels will cover a range of current topics aimed at strengthening the capacity of creatives involved in clubbing and other related cultural activities. The opening panel will feature Antonio Žuža, producer and co-owner of one of Croatia’s most successful clubs, Peti Kupe, and Grgur Nikica Vuleta, a member of the music collective Kongres, a newer and very promising presence on Zagreb’s scene. The panel will be moderated by sharp-witted radio host and DJ Marko Ješovnik Yesh.
To ensure the discussions don’t remain theoretical, a series of lectures aimed at providing practical knowledge will also be held. Iva Vukšić, who has been leading sponsorships of Iskon for the last ten years and specializes in designing visitor experiences at events, will deliver a lecture titled “Brand and Sponsorships” at Rejvitalizacija. She will focus on tips for successfully securing sponsorships for events and music programs, addressing questions such as what sponsors are actually looking for today, who to approach, when and how to approach them, what to mention, and what to skip in presenting your project, and how to collaborate not only to cover costs but to enhance your audience’s experience.
Producer, organizer, and activist Sanja Burlović has been active with AKC Attack since 1999, producing numerous programs ranging from music to the FAKI theater festival. Currently, she coordinates the association and is responsible for developing programs such as education, visual arts, public actions, and inclusive cultural and social programs. She will also share tips on how to better position yourself in competitions, with a special focus on opportunities for nonprofit associations.
The Croatian Office for Music Export, We Move Music, will present its projects, focusing on opportunities for musicians to break through at showcase festivals. Conference organizer Tena Šarčević will share her experience from the NightSchool project, from which Rejvitalizacija was born.
“Rejvitalizacija is an attempt to provide creatives working in this field with knowledge that is not available in formal education and to create a place where they can connect with each other. The response so far has been great, with many people volunteering to help organize and announcing that they will be coming from all over Croatia for the conference and after-party, which makes me very happy and shows that a platform of this type is much needed,” said the organizer.
During the conference, there will also be a record fair organized by the collective Greenlight. In addition to hosting their nature-inspired events that often feature interesting international names, Greenlight also aims to bring together older and newer generations of record diggers through their fairs and promote this type of love for music.
Deee Vintage will also be at the event with a hand-picked selection of the best vintage party clothing pieces. Before fully dedicating herself to fashion, Divna organized techno events in Italy and followed the music scene as a journalist for Soundwall. Additionally, the conference will feature the presentation of the autumn merchandise from the popular summer brand Brzeguze, which tirelessly promotes freedom and the art of the body on Instagram and organizes unforgettable events across Croatia.
The visual identity of the conference stage will be curated by Rejvnesansa. This collective has brought real refreshment to Zagreb’s club scene not only with their top-notch parties but also with their careful consideration of the aesthetic aspect of the entire music experience.
No good conference is complete without an even better after-party, and for an unforgettable night, Lithuanian DJ Roe Deers is in charge. He is a significant figure on the Lithuanian scene, as evidenced by the fact that he had the opportunity to perform with a large orchestra at this year’s Midsummer Vilnius festival. Alongside him, local support will be provided by Ana and DaYes, with the trio promising a night full of unpredictable, ‘dirty,’ yet sweet music.
Tickets are available through Entrio, and Mastercard has secured a 10% discount on ticket purchases made with Mastercard cards, which can be redeemed using the code Mastercard10.
