WOMAD | International Arts & Music Festival | Britannica (original) (raw)

Quick Facts

Acronym for:

World of Music, Arts and Dance

News •

WOMAD, international music and arts foundation known primarily for its festivals, held in multiple locations across the globe each year.

WOMAD was conceived in 1980 by a group of individuals—most notably Peter Gabriel (former leader of the British rock band Genesis)—who shared a love of the world’s music traditions. The group aimed to bring a broad international spectrum of music, arts, and dance to new audiences, and in 1982 the first WOMAD music festival was held in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, Eng. The event failed to break even, however, and consequently Gabriel reunited with former Genesis bandmates, both to pay off debts and to raise money for the cause. A second event, staged the following year, was somewhat more successful and allowed for the establishment of the nonprofit WOMAD Foundation. While continuing to operate on a shoestring budget, the organization’s founders soon realized that one festival a year in the United Kingdom was not going to keep WOMAD afloat.

With a number of countries eager to host the WOMAD festival, regular events were subsequently established in the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and New Zealand. Yet other countries—such as Canada, Greece, Japan, and the United States—held WOMAD festivals on a one-time or intermittent basis. The organization grew steadily, and, within 25 years of its founding, it had hosted more than 150 festivals involving thousands of performers worldwide.

WOMAD festivals typically span an entire weekend and showcase music and dance from many regions of the world. Some performers are seasoned international touring artists with spectacular stage shows, whereas others are local favourites with a palpable connection to the audience. Most groups blend various urban popular styles with elements of traditional music, but some performers present traditional forms adjusted minimally for the international concert stage. Festival attendance varies by the size of the venue and length of the festival. At the annual events in Adelaide, S.Aus., for instance, attendance averaged more than 70,000 in the early 21st century; in New Zealand, by contrast, attendees numbered about 14,000. Aside from music and dance performances, WOMAD festivals feature food and craft vendors and offer assorted workshops and other activities for children. Ultimately, the events are intended to offer a family-friendly entertaining and educational experience to people of all ages.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Virginia Gorlinski.