World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) is an organization founded in 1980 by Peter Gabriel, Thomas Brooman, and Bob Hooton. It was founded on the basis that many others would share their enthusiasm for music from other cultures, if only they had the opportunity to listen to some of the global sounds. The concept evolved from an idea Gabriel had at a concert involving an African group. This then developed into a much larger event incorporating music from all over the world. Despite a considerable lack of enthusiasm from most of the music business, the team gathered together a group of people who could create an event which would present music and dance from all over the world together with rock, jazz, and folk music from the West. In addition, the organisation evolved to provide a periodic showcase of world artists, in the form of a newsletter accompanied by a vinyl record.

The financial realities of running the organisation meant that one-off events were unreasonable, thus the idea for a festival was born. Indeed, the level of investment required from Gabriel had resulted in his suffering considerable financial hardship as early as 1982, with the result that he reunited with his former bandmates in Genesis in order to raise additional funds, by staging the Six of the Best concert.

The first WOMAD festival took place in 1982 in Shepton Mallet, England. Nowadays, a typical festival will include varied live musical performances, workshops, stalls and events for children.

WOMAD currently holds festivals in over 20 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, UK, U.S. and many European countries. The last USA concert was held on July 27 - 29, 2001 in Redmond, Washington. The 2002 and 2003 USA concerts were cancelled due to the financial consequences of 9/11 and difficulties in obtaining visas for international performers.

WOMAD has pioneered the growing acceptance and enjoyment of World music by western society. The festival now draws crowds of over 80,000 people per event, and competes on equal terms with other mainstream western festivals globally.

Over the years, WOMAD has helped launch, boost or revive the careers of many world music (and other) artists, including the Master Drummers of Burundi, the Afro Celt Sound System, the Dhol Foundation, Ozomatli and the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

A feature of all the festivals are the flags, which are made by Angus Watt especially for Womad, with designs being loaned to such festivals as the Glastonbury Festival, and such places as the Eden Project.
WOMAD festivals are held all over the world, in countries including; Australia, New Zealand, Sicily and Spain. In 2009 there will be WOMAD festivals held in 5 countries around the world, including for the first time ever, the capital city of UAE, Abu Dhabi. They allow audiences to gain an insight into cultures other than their own through the enjoyment of music. WOMAD aims to excite, to inform, and to create awareness of the worth and potential of a multicultural society. It has a friendly and family-safe atmosphere, as well as fantastic music from all around the globe

Related event pages for WOMAD

WOMAD 201325th Jul 2013: Charlton Park, Malmesbury
WOMAD 201326th Jul 2013: Charlton Park, Malmesbury
WOMAD 201327th Jul 2013: Charlton Park, Malmesbury
WOMAD 201328th Jul 2013: Charlton Park, Malmesbury

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