WOMAD Charlton Park or WOMAD UK is the name given to the World of Music Arts and Dance (

WOMAD WOMAD ( ; World of Music, Arts and Dance) is an international arts festival. The central aim of WOMAD is to celebrate the world's many forms of music, arts and dance. History WOMAD was founded in 1980 by English rock musician Peter Gabriel, w ...

) festival held in Charlton Park near

Malmesbury Malmesbury () is a town and civil parish in north Wiltshire, England, which lies approximately west of Swindon, northeast of Bristol, and north of Chippenham. The older part of the town is on a hilltop which is almost surrounded by the upp ...

, Wiltshire, England, since 2007. It is the direct successor to WOMAD Reading, which was held in the town of

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...

each year from 1990 to 2006, and previous WOMADs elsewhere in England since 1986. The WOMAD festival is held on the last weekend of July, and currently lasts three and a half days, stretching from the Thursday evening to early Monday morning. The line-up is predominantly

World music "World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, Cross-cultural communication, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical ...

, but

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

electronic Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductors * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic c ...

and rock artists also appear.

Origins

WOMAD was pioneered by various international artists, notably

Peter Gabriel Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career wit ...

Shepton Mallet Shepton Mallet is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Somerset, England, some southwest of Bath, Somerset, Bath, south of Bristol and east of Wells, Somerset, Wells. It had an estimated population of 10,810 in 2019. ...

, where the first concerts took place in 1982. Peter Gabriel is still a major driving force behind the organisation and its various branches of activity in the music industry. WOMAD Festival Reading 2003

Reading became the regular site for WOMAD in the UK, 8 years after its inception, and the festival became established there over 15 years. The first Womad Reading was held in 1990, and the last in 2006. Previous festivals had occurred in Shepton Mallet 1982, Mersea Island 1985, Clevedon 1986, Carlyon Bay 1987, Bracknell 1988, and Morecambe 1989–1997. The festival took place every year on the last weekend of July, at the Rivermead Centre and Little John's Farm in

. By the end of its run in Reading, the festival had three stages: * The Open Air (or Main) Stage * The Siam Tent Stage * The Village Stage

2007

In light of the mud caused by poor weather prior to the first festival in its new location, and on the Saturday night, many festival goers nicknamed the festival WOMUD.

2008

WOMAD 2008 was luckier, a weekend of sunshine in an otherwise poor summer. The 2008 festival was well received and reviewed for its broad line-up and inclusive atmosphere. Mercury Prize-winner Roni Size Reprazent said: "''What makes this festival different from every other festival that I've been to is when you walk into the tent. It's filled up with kids and buggies and their mothers and their fathers. Now that is an unbelievable sight.''" The format has evolved and expanded since 1986. Stages in 2008 included: * ''Open Air Stage'': Sometimes referred to as the Main Stage, it is one of the two stages sharing headline acts, along with the Siam Tent. This stage hardly ever double books with the Siam Tent, as all the biggest artists usually appear on either stage. * ''Siam Tent'': Introduced in 1998 as an alternative to the Open Air Stage. * ''Big Red Tent'': The third main stage. * ''Little Sicily'': A quieter haven for acoustic acts and conversation, with tables and chairs. * ''Dance Tent & Drum Tent'': Two alternating venues of workshops featuring mainly African and Latin acts. * ''BBC Radio 3 Stage'': Set outside the main arena, featuring many artists who also played the main stages, and broadcasting live on

BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...

. * "Taste The World Stage" Where artists who are performing elsewhere at the festival are invited to cook for the audience. While they cook they are interviewed by a host and answer questions from the audience, and may play or sing as well. Unique to WOMAD

2013

The headliners were

Gilberto Gil Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira (; born 26 June 1942), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and politician, known for both his musical innovation and political activism. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil's Ministry of Culture (Brazil), Minister of ...

, Rokia Traore,

Seun Kuti Oluseun Anikulapo Kuti (born 11 January 1983), popularly known Seun Kuti, is a Nigerian musician, singer and the youngest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Seun leads his father's former band Egypt 80. Early life and education The youngest ...

and

Lee "Scratch" Perry Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry; 20 March 1936 – 29 August 2021) was a Jamaican record producer, songwriter and singer noted for his innovative studio techniques and production style. Perry was a pioneer in the 1970s development ...

with

Max Romeo Maxwell Livingston Smith (22 November 1944 – 11 April 2025), known professionally as Max Romeo, was a Jamaican reggae and roots reggae recording musician who achieved chart success in his home country and in the United Kingdom. He had several ...

(replaced

Toots and the Maytals The Maytals, known from 1972 to 2020 as Toots and the Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group, one of the best known ska and rocksteady vocal groups. The Maytals were formed in the early 1960s and were key figures in popularizing reggae music. ...

)

Arrested Development ''Arrested Development'' is an American satire, satirical television sitcom created by Mitchell Hurwitz. It follows the Bluths, a formerly wealthy, dysfunctional family and is presented in a Serial (radio and television), serialized format, inco ...

were also added to the line-up later on *

Adjágas Adjágas is a band from Sápmi, Norway composed of Sámi joikers, Lawra Somby and Sara Marielle Gaup, as well as a band of musicians. The group's name is a Sámi word describing the mental state experienced between waking and sleeping. Adjá ...

(Norway) * Alice Russell (dropped out) Replaced by

DJ Cheeba A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music festivals), mobile DJ ...

(UK) * Amesmalua (Spain) *

Asif Ali Khan Asian Securities and Investments Federation (ASIF) is an association of finance and investment professionals throughout Asia and Oceania with 7 member societies. The association seeks to serve the finance and investment community by fostering hig ...

(Pakistan) * Bwani Junction (UK) *

Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino (CGS), formed by writer Rina Durante in 1975, is a traditional music ensemble from Salento, Italy. The seven piece band and dancer perform a contemporary style of Southern Italy's traditional Pizzica music and d ...

(Italy) *

Carminho Maria do Carmo Carvalho Rebelo de Andrade (born 20 August 1984), better known as Carminho (), is a Portuguese fado singer. She comes from a family of musicians, since her mother, Teresa Siqueira, was a famous fado singer. She can be considered a ...

(Portugal) *

Christine Salem Christine may refer to: People * Christine (name), a female given name Film * Christine (1958 film), ''Christine'' (1958 film), based on Schnitzler's play ''Liebelei'' * Christine (1983 film), ''Christine'' (1983 film), based on Stephen King ...

(Reunion) *

David Rodigan MBE David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...

(UK) * David Wax Museum (USA) * Debapriya & Samanwaya (India) * Dizu Plaatjies and the Ibuyambo Ensemble (South Africa) * Dub Inc (France) *

Emel Mathlouthi Emel Mathlouthi () (born 11 January 1982), also known professionally as Emel, is a Tunisian-American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger and producer. She rose to fame with her protest song "Kelmti Horra" ("My Word is Free"), which became an an ...

(Tunisia) *

Fanfare Ciocarlia A fanfare (or fanfarade or flourish) is a short musical flourish which is typically played by trumpets (including fanfare trumpets), French horns or other brass instruments, often accompanied by percussion. It is a "brief improvised introduct ...

(Romania) * Fimber Bravo (Trinidad & Tobago) *

Flavia Coelho Flavia (Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Ti ...

( Brazil) * Fredy Massamba (Congo) * GOCOO (Japan) *

Hidden Orchestra Hidden Orchestra is the solo studio project of multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Joe Acheson, whose albums and live shows include guest musicians from diverse musical backgrounds. Formed in Edinburgh, the band's regular live member ...

(UK) *

Huun-Huur-Tu Huun-Huur-Tu ( ; ) are a music group from Tuva, a Russian federative republic situated on the Mongolia–Russia border. Their music includes throat singing, in which the singers sing both a note and its overtones, thus producing two or three ...

(Russia) * Iadoni (Georgia) * Jagwa Music (Tanzania) *

Jesca Hoop Jessica "Jesca" Ada Hoop (born April 21, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, who writes and performs in diverse musical styles. She has released six studio albums of her own, as well as live, acoustic and dual albums with other ...

(USA) * Katy Carr & The Aviators (UK/Poland) * Kissmet (India) * La Chiva Gantiva (Colombia/Belgium/Vietnam/France) * Le Vent Du Nord (Canada) * Lévon Minassian (Armenia) * Mala in Cuba (UK) * Malawi Mouse Boys (Malawi) *

Malouma Malouma Mint El Mokhtar Ould El Meidah (), also simply Maalouma or Malouma (; born October 1, 1960), is a Mauritanian singer, songwriter and politician. Raised in the south-west of the country by parents versed in traditional Mauritanian music ...

(Mauritania) * Mohammad Reza Mortazavi (Iran) *

Mokoomba Mokoomba is a Zimbabwean musical group, originally from Chinotimba township, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The group sings in a number of languages including English, Luvale, Tonga, Nyanja, Ndebele and Shona. Mokoomba takes its name from a Tonga ...

(Zimbabwe) *

Nano Stern Nano Stern (born in Santiago de Chile, March 30, 1985) is a Chilean singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer of the "third generation of Chilean singer-songwriters" who appear after the 1990s. His work is linked with popular song movements and h ...

(Chile) * Ondatrópica (Colombia) * Parov Stelar Band (Austria) * Riot Jazz Brass Band (UK) *

Sam Lee and Friends Sam, SAM or variants may refer to: Places * Sam, Benin * Sam, Boulkiemdé, Burkina Faso * Sam, Bourzanga, Burkina Faso * Sam, Kongoussi, Burkina Faso * Sam, Iran * Sam, Teton County, Idaho, United States, a populated place People and fictional c ...

(UK) * Schlachthofbronx (Germany) *

Spoek Mathambo Nthato Monde James Mokgata (born 14 May 1985), known by his stage name Spoek Mathambo, is a South African artist, producer, singer-songwriter and rapper. Mathambo rose to fame in the late 2000s with his fusion of a wide array of musical influence ...

(South Africa) * Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys (USA) *

Syd Arthur Syd Arthur were an English psychedelic rock band, formed in Canterbury in 2003 by brothers frontman Liam and bassist Joel Magill, drummer Fred Rother and violinist Raven Bush. Rother was replaced by the Magills' younger brother Josh in 2016. ...

(UK) *

Tamikrest Tamikrest is a Malian rock band formed in 2006 in Tinzaouaten, Tinzawaten, a town on the border between Algeria and Mali, by Ousmane Ag Mossa, Cheikh Ag Tiglia, and Aghaly Ag Mohamedine. Influenced by the musical heritage of Tinariwen and motivat ...

(Mali) *

The Bombay Royale The Bombay Royale was an 11-piece Australian band fronted by singers Parvyn Kaur Singh and Shourov Bhattacharya and led by Andy Williamson. The band performed original music that blends funk, disco and pop music with the classical and folk music ...

(India/Australia) * The Heavy (UK) * Urna & Kroke (Mongolia/Poland) The following performers were on the BBC Radio 3 Stage, a quieter stage for smaller acts (in order of appearance): * Mavrika (Greece) * Barrule (Isle of Man * Family Atlantica (Ghana) *

Lucas Santtana Lucas Mascarenhas Santana (born October 18, 1970), known as his stage name Lucas Santtana, is a Brazilian singer, composer and producer from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. In his CD, Sem Nostalgia (YB Music, 2009), he recreates the Brazilian guitar tra ...

(Brazil) * Zykopops (Croatia) * Roopa Panesar (United Kingdom) * Imperial Tiger Orchestra (Switzerland) *

Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band is a three-piece American country blues band from Brown County, Indiana. They have played up to 250 dates per year at venues ranging from bars to festivals since 2006. To date, they have released ten albums a ...

(United States) * DJ Tudo e sua gente de todo lugar (Brazil) * La Pegatina (Spain) * Fidan Hajieva (Azerbaijan) * Guy Schalom & The Baladi Blues (Egypt) * DaWangGang (China (People's Republic) * KonKoma (Ghana) *

Red Hot Chilli Pipers Red Hot Chilli Pipers is a Celtic rock band from Scotland. Formed in 2002, the band became popular internationally in 2007 after winning the BBC talent show ''When Will I Be Famous?'' The band's lineup features three highland bagpipers and t ...

(Scotland)

2014

The headliners for 2014 include

Youssou N'Dour Youssou N'Dour (, ; also known as Youssou Madjiguène Ndour; born 1 October 1959) is a Senegalese singer, songwriter, musician, composer, occasional actor, businessman, and politician. In 2004, ''Rolling Stone'' described him as, "perhaps the m ...

Sinéad O'Connor Shuhada' Sadaqat (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor; , ; 8 December 1966 – 26 July 2023) was an Irish singer, songwriter, record producer and activist. Her debut studio album, ''The Lion and the Cobra'', was released in 1987 and achieve ...

Manu Dibango Emmanuel N'Djoké "Manu" Dibango (12 December 1933 – 24 March 2020) was a Cameroonian musician and songwriter who played saxophone and vibraphone. He developed a musical style fusing jazz, funk, and traditional Cameroonian music. His father w ...

and Les Ambassadeurs. The initial headlining act,

Bobby Womack Robert Dwayne Womack ( ; March 4, 1944 – June 27, 2014) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Starting in the early 1950s as the lead singer of his family musical group the Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's ...

, died a few weeks before the festival.

2020 and 2021

WOMAD 2020 was cancelled due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

, and a virtual festival weekend was held instead. One band, Will Lawton and the Alchemists, gained permission to access the site and recorded a two-song set purely to be "The only band to play WOMAD 2020", with the video and images released via their Facebook and Instagram accounts. WOMAD was cancelled again in 2021 also due to COVID-19, citing a lack of government guidance on restrictions after 19 July, and as with many other British music festivals, the lack of a cancellation insurance scheme from the government.

References

External links

* {{Major British Music Festivals Recurring events established in 1986 Culture in Reading, Berkshire Music festivals in Wiltshire July World music festivals Malmesbury 1986 establishments in England