WOMAD (World of Music, Arts, and Dance) is the largest international music festival which is primarily known for its festivals that is held across multiple locations around the globe each year. Conceived back in 1980, WOMAD was created by a group of individuals, most notably Peter Gabriel, who is the former leader of the British rock band Genesis. He shared a genuine love for the world’s music traditions and hence, ensured that the group brought a broad international spectrum of music, dance, and arts to new audiences. The first-ever WOMAD festival was held back in 1982 in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, Eng.
However, the event dismantled and Gabriel reunited with former Genesis band mates, both to raise money for the cause and pay off his debts. Soon a second event was organized the following year and was somewhat more successful and permitted the establishment of WOMAD Foundation. A number of countries quickly showed their eagerness to host the festival and regular events were subsequently organized in the United States, Spain, Australia, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, and others. Soon enough WOMAD grew exponentially and within 25 years of its establishment, the organization hosted over 150 festivals involving thousands of performers worldwide.
WOMAD presents and celebrates the huge array of forms that the planet has in store and drives with the sole aim to promote cross-cultural awareness. This year, in 2021 the WOMAD Festival celebrates its 36th year in the UK and 26 years in Australia. The experience is enjoyed by millions of people who long for the festival to be held. The festivals with their performance events through recorded releases or other educational projects, aim to excite, create, and educate the people about the worth and potential of a multicultural society.
The WOMAD festivals typically span over an entire weekend and host dance and music from various regions. Some of the performers are seasonal international touring artists who host spectacular stage shows whereas others are local favorites who nurture a palpable bond with the audience. Most of the groups performing in the festival blend various popular urban styles that fuse elements of traditional and classic music, but then there are some performers who present traditional forms fused to a minimal extent to grace the international concert stage. The attendee of the festival varies according to the length of the festival and the size of the venue. For instance, in Adelaide S. Australia, the count of attendees averaged to over 70000 in the early 21st century, and in contrast in New Zealand, the attendees numbered about `4000.
Aside from all the music and dance performances, the WOMAD festivals feature craft and food vendors that offer assorted workshops and other fun activities for the children. All, the events are intended to offer a family-friendly educational and entertaining experience to people of all ages.
Watch out for the 2021 WOMAD Festival to experience music like never before!