Young Drummers Competition 2026

Design a poster/poster series supported by a written explanation of the creative idea for Mastercard Slovenia on the topic:

World. One Tap Away.

Deadline for submissions: 9 September 2026

Young Drummers Competition Jury

The competition is open worldwide!*

1. Registration and the submission of works: All works must be registered via the online registration system at engine.goldendrum.com. 
2. Registration fee: the registration fee is 70 EUR (VAT not included) Mastercard price / 90 EUR (VAT not included) Standard price per entry (series of posters can be considered as one entry or each of the posters can be entered individually and considered as separate entries).
3. Where and how to submit works: your work must be uploaded to the online registration system. Please observe the technical instructions for the submission of works carefully.
4. Creative concept: one creative concept may include a creative idea and a poster/series of up to 3 posters (all parts/materials of the series must be included in one registration form). Each new creative concept must be registered and paid as a new entry. During judging, the following criteria will be considered: 60 % creative idea and 40 % poster/poster series design.
5. Entrant: Creative idea and poster/poster series can have one or a maximum of two authors.

LANGUAGE OF ENTRIES

FORMATS OF THE SUBMITTED MATERIALS

* PRICE of the entry does not include 22% VAT. The discounted Mastercard fee applies only to payments made with Mastercard.

VAT rules

In accordance with the Slovenian / EU rules and regulations on VAT, there are specific rules that we, as the organizer, need to apply:

• VAT to be charged to all Slovenian legal persons and individuals.
• VAT reverse charge procedure under Article 44 of VAT Directive for taxable person from EU having VAT identification number or taxable person from a third country possessing confirmation of being an economic operator.
• VAT charged under Article 45 of VAT Directive for non-taxable person from EU or a third country.  

• Only Young Drummers that are younger than 30 years (born after 13 October 1996) may take part, from all parts of the world.
• Creative idea and poster/poster series can have one or a maximum of two authors.
• One creative concept may include a series of posters (max. 3) with the same concept/idea (all parts/materials of the series must be included in one registration form). Each new creative concept must be registered and paid as a new entry.
• No legal proceedings may be initiated against the jury.
• The author/s declares that their work has never been published and that they are the owner of the copyrights thereof. It is the sole responsibility of the participants for the quality and ownership of copyrights for the submitted works. The participants shall hold the festival’s organiser harmless from any and all liabilities against any third parties.
• Mastercard Slovenia shall receive a non-exclusive copyright to use the winning poster or poster series created for the competition World. One Tap Away. – Young Drummers Competition. The creative idea and poster/posters will be used exclusively for the purposes of Mastercard Slovenia and material copyrights, which cannot be transferred to third parties. For all other entered works, Mastercard Slovenia can secure material copyrights themself, while the festival’s organiser arranges direct contact with the author.
• Copyrights shall be valid without geographical constraints for the duration of the copyrights and shall include the right to adaptation.
• The author/s of the winning creative idea and poster/poster series in the competition will transfer his/her material copyrights of the created works to Mastercard Slovenia without additional payment, namely:
  • the right of reproduction, which also includes the right to save in electronic form and to audio and visual recording,
  • the right of distribution,
  • rental right,
  • the right of public communication by means of phonograms and videograms,
  • the right of making available to the public, in the full and widest possible scope, as provided for and enabled by the applicable Copyright and Related Rights Act, including making it available to the public via a computer network (including the transfer or broadcasting of the author's work or its parts by means of reception and display, including computer video screens, monitors, namely via a global computer network that is used via the TCP/IP protocol - also known as the Internet or the World Wide Web) or some other network (including teletext distribution services, radio text and similar services, such as: pay-per channel, pay-per view, near video-on-demand and other forms of distribution or carriers) or using the telecommunications network (including WAP, UMTS, SMS, 3G and other services well-known telecommunication services, including so-called 'mobile telephony' services via GSM, GPRS, etc., with which the author's work can be made available to the public; landlines on services); the so-called multimedia rights that enable the simultaneous use of the author's work through several distribution systems or some other new technology systems that enable the communication of the author's works to the public;
  • the right of public presentation,
  • the right of broadcasting,
  • the right of rebroadcasting,
  • the right of secondary broadcasting,
  • the right of transformation,
  • the right of audiovisual adaptation.
• The author/s agrees to have the submitted works published on www.goldendrum.com, used in press releases and, providing the works are shortlisted, to have them presented during the festival.
• The participant authorises the festival’s organiser to show or publish their creative idea and poster solutions for the purposes of promoting the festival free of charge. The above authorisation shall be valid from 13 October 2026 to 13 October 2036 and may be used all over the world exclusively for the purposes of presenting the Golden Drum Festival.
• The participants must strictly comply with the registration rules. By completing and submitting the registration form, it is assumed that the participant fully accepts the terms and conditions of the competition. A breach of any of the registration rules shall lead to an automatic disqualification of the registered work.

Judging Rules and Regulations for Young Drummers Competition

1. Award-winning entry/ies will be selected by an international Jury.
2. The Jury reserves the right to present up to three Special Mentions next to the winner/winning pair.
3. Members of the Jury and Secretary to the Jury are appointed by the Organizer.
4. Each juror shall form his or her own opinion about the creativity and quality of entries independently, on the basis of his or her expertise, and shall award marks accordingly.
5. The president of the Jury is responsible for the fairness of the judging and is appointed by the Organizer.
6. All jury activities related to the judging of the Festival are coordinated by the Secretary to the Jury and supported by the necessary computer software and other technical equipment.
7. All communication among the jurors and the Secretary shall be in English.
8. The president of the Jury shall propose the judging and awarding criteria to the Jury before the judging process begins. Both the creative idea and the poster/poster series design will be considered during this time. Criteria for evaluation:  60 % creative idea and 40 % poster/poster series design.
9. All members and the president of the jury shall have equal voting rights, and participate in the judging of registered entries. Each jury member shall make decisions independently and autonomously on the basis of his or her expertise, reputation and authority.
10. The judging of entries in Young Drummers Competition shall be done on the basis of the entry presentations available to each jury member with the aid of online judging system. The first round of judging shall be done remotely online prior to the start of the Festival. Each jury member shall receive a list of entries and precise instructions prior to judging. Jury members shall examine all registered entries, mark each with a vote of YES or NO for inclusion on the shortlist. The shortlist shall tentatively include up to 20 % of top-ranked entries from which the winner will be selected in the second round of judging. The second round of judging shall be done online. Each jury will be brought together to judge the entries via online / video conference system at the same time to ensure a live debate and a fair evaluation of the work. Jury members shall discuss and present the winner on the basis of the consensus between jury members.
11. Any juror who is in any way associated with the creation of an entry or its agency shall not judge that entry.
12. Each juror may make objections and raise questions during the selection of the winner. At the request of the Jury president, he/she must provide reasons for his or her opinion.
13. The decision of the Jury in all matters related to the awards is final and binding.
14. Members of the jury are sworn to silence about their work as a juror and are prohibited from discussing the results with anyone prior to the official announcement in the festival’s program and at the award ceremony.
15. Members of the Jury should take part in the presentation of shortlisted and awarded entries, organized in a form of public debate – if so proposed by the Organizer.
16. The President of the Jury should also take part in the ceremony of the Festival where the Young Drummer prize will be given.
17. Upon accepting membership on the Jury, each juror agrees to abide by the above rules.