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"WOMAD is unique in so many ways. What really sets us apart from other festivals is our independence from the big commercial promoters and our incredible network of international events with local partners all over the world. In 2020 we were lucky to have completed three festivals before the world closed down. Our year started in Recoleta, a suburb of Santiago in Chile, against a backdrop of significant anti-government protests. WOMAD was one of the few events to take place in Chile and it was important to give our support to the community we have become part of. In March we moved into Adelaide, Australia where we held a very successful festival with our partners APA. The global pandemic was a distant cloud on a far off horizon. By the following week when we had rolled into New Plymouth, New Zealand those same clouds were darker and looming large across the world. With our partners TAFT we produced the last large scale event in New Zealand before the borders closed.
The first festival to cancel was in Morelia, Mexico in April. This would have been our first festival in Mexico. A lot of work had gone into making this possible and it was very sad to let it go. In May we were saddened to see one of our our oldest events in Caceres, central Spain cancel at the height of the Pandemic. Dania, our trusted partner in Spain has seen her years work evaporate.
The good news is that we still have some hope that our final event in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria will still go ahead in November. This would be an emotional end to what has been an extraordinary year for us and all of our partners.
WOMAD has always been about connecting the world to the world , and in these difficult days when Covid keeps us all apart and inward-looking nationalism and racism are on the rise, we believe the quiet underlying message of WOMAD needs to be heard , more than ever . We are indebted to our international partners in government and sponsorship for making it possible in the past, the present and a very challenging future."
Chris Smith, WOMAD International, Festival Director
WOMAD Chile
WOMAD Chile is the first proper home for the festival in South America, and has become a special part of WOMAD’s international programme.
The three days of music, food, workshops and events takes place in mid February and tickets are free.
WOMADELAIDE
WOMADelaide, the iconic open-air festival set in Adelaide’s stunning Botanic Park, is an award-winning celebration of the very best of the World of Music, Arts & Dance in true WOMAD style.
Immerse yourself in the WOMADadelaide 2020 Playlist for an insight into the 2020 festival lineup…
WOMAD New Zealand
Held in New Plymouth’s stunning Brooklands Park in March, WOMAD New Zealand is a 3 day international festival celebrating music, art, and dance. Have a listen to the WOMAD NZ 2020 playlist for a taste of this year’s festival magic!
Close your eyes and drift away across the world with the WOMAD New Zealand 2020 Playlist.
WOMAD MEXICO
It is a true privilege to bring the WOMAD experience to the people of Mexico. We will have stages starring some of the best artists in the world, performing music from across the continents, leading workshops with children and adults and inviting our audience to learn more about the world we share through a global passion for Music, Arts and Dance.
Have a listen to this exclusive Spotify playlist put together by our partners in Mexico. We’re excited to bring a WOMAD Festival to the beautiful city of Morelia next year but for you can listen to sounds from around the world including a selection of tracks from Mexican artists.
WOMAD Cáceres
WOMAD festival has been held in Cáceres since 1992. The event takes place in May when the entire centre of this beautiful city is taken over by music, arts and dance. The festival is a coming together of people from the Extremadura region of Spain, and far beyond!
Take a listen to the WOMAD Cáceres playlist from 2019, and get to know the fantastic bands that took part in the festival in May last year.
WOMAD Las Palmas
The WOMAD Festival is held in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. The three days of music, food, workshops and events take place in November and tickets are free. Crowds gather from across the Canary Islands for this very special annual event.
Take a listen to the WOMAD Las Palmas playlist reflecting the 2019 lineup, for an insight into the festival’s atmosphere.