WOMAD
Overview
WOMAD (워매드, World of Music, Arts and Dance) is an international music, arts, and dance festival brand and cultural organization founded in 1980 by British musician Peter Gabriel. It aims to put traditional and contemporary music from around the world on the same stage, introducing different cultures and promoting exchange. Today, WOMAD operates annual festivals in various countries, including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, and Chile, and is considered to have played a decisive role in establishing 'World Music' as a popular genre.
Key Details
Founding Background and Name
The name WOMAD is an acronym for 'World of Music, Arts and Dance.' In the late 1970s, Peter Gabriel, after leaving Genesis, conceived a project to introduce African, Asian, and Latin American music to the British public, and in 1980 founded WOMAD together with music critic Tom Newman (Thomas Brooman) and others. The name itself embodies the founding philosophy of encompassing not only music but also arts and dance.
First Festival and Early History
In July 1982, the first WOMAD festival was held at the Royal Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England. It was a large-scale event with many artists from around the world, but it faced financial difficulties; afterward, the organization was restructured and sought touring events in the UK and overseas expansion. Through the 1980s, WOMAD grew beyond a simple festival into a non-profit cultural institution operating artist discovery and educational programs.
Character and Features
- Multiculturalism: It does not remain within the genres of a single country, but broadly invites music from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Indigenous American music.
- Education and Publicness: In addition to the festival, WOMAD has run workshops for schools and communities, instrument experiences, and lecture programs.
- A Gateway for Non-mainstream Artists: It provided an international stage for musicians not well known in the Western popular music market. Youssou N'Dour, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Ravi Shankar, Salif Keïta, Angélique Kidjo, and others gained global recognition after passing through WOMAD stages.
- Non-profit Operation: WOMAD Ltd, unlike commercial large rock festivals, has maintained an operating approach that prioritizes cultural exchange and artist support.
Major Host Locations
The mainland UK festival moved between several locations, and since the 2000s it has settled at Charlton Park in Wiltshire as its main venue. Overseas, representative events include WOMADelaide in Adelaide, Australia; WOMAD New Zealand in New Plymouth, New Zealand; WOMAD Cáceres in Cáceres, Spain; and events held in Chile, Italy, Japan, etc. Each regional festival shares the common principle of actively involving local musicians and communities.
Impact on the World Music Industry
WOMAD was a key platform in the process by which the marketing and genre term 'world music' took shape in the late 1980s. Record companies, broadcasters, and festivals collaborated to create a distribution structure introducing non-Western music, and it also influenced later large festivals such as Glastonbury to permanently program world music stages.
Recent Trends
In the 2020s, WOMAD suffered suspensions and downsizing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then resumed normal staging after 2022. Recently, the following changes have become notable.
1. Sustainability: Advocating an eco-friendly festival, it is expanding policies such as banning single-use plastics, using renewable energy, and reducing carbon emissions.
2. Generational Shift and Genre Expansion: There is a stronger tendency to place contemporary crossover artists such as hip-hop, electronic, jazz fusion, and K-music alongside traditional music-centered lineups.
3. Digital Accessibility: It is releasing some performances through online streaming and archives to expand audiences after the pandemic.
4. Strengthening Regional Festivals: Overseas host locations such as Adelaide, New Zealand, and Cáceres have grown into independent brands, establishing themselves as festivals combined with local cultural policies.
5. Alignment with Cultural Diversity Discourse: Amid social discussions over immigration, refugees, and minority cultures, WOMAD's founding ideology of 'mutual understanding' is being re-examined.
WOMAD functions as a central axis for networks, education, and records surrounding world music, beyond a single festival, and has become a frequently cited case when discussing cultural diversity and public cultural policy.
Related Topics
- [[Peter Gabriel]]
- [[World music]]
- [[Glastonbury Festival]]
- [[Cultural diversity]]
- [[Performing arts]]