WOMAD Charlton Park 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 in

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 letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spelling ...

each year from 1990 to 2006, and previous WOMADs elsewhere in England since 1986. 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, but blues,

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, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

, hip hop,

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

and rock artists also appear.

WOMAD origins

WOMAD was pioneered by various international artists, notably Peter Gabriel in Shepton Mallet, 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 in England 1982–2006

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 festival was held 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

WOMAD Charlton Park 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. Since then, it has been relocated on the estate, as in the WOMUD year, the children's field was inaccessible due to it being flooded.

WOMAD Charlton Park 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.''" ;Arena: 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. * "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

WOMAD Charlton Park 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 Minister of Culture in the administration ...

, Rokia Traore,

Seun Kuti Oluseun Anikulapo Kuti (born 11 January 1983), who is called by the name Seun Kuti, is a Nigerian musician, singer and the youngest son of the famous Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti. Seun leads his father's former band Egypt 80. Biography The y ...

and

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

with Max Romeo (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 The term "arrested development" has had multiple meanings for over 200 years. In the field of medicine, the term "arrested development" was first used, ''circa'' 1835–1836, to mean a stoppage of physical development; the term continues to be use ...

were also added to the line-up later on *

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

(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 a nightclub or music festival), mobile D ...

(UK) * Amesmalua (Spain) *

Asif Ali Khan Asif ( ar, آصف) is an Arabic masculine given name. In Persian and Urdu it is often pronounced as 'Asif' or 'Asef' though the original form is 'Asaf'. This name referred to Solomon's vizier in the Islamic tradition, and by extension to a wise, p ...

(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 dan ...

(Italy) *

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

(Portugal) * Christine Salem (Reunion) * David Rodigan MBE (UK) * David Wax Museum (USA) * Debapriya & Samanwaya (India) * Dizu Plaatjies and the Ibuyambo Ensemble (South Africa) * Dub Inc (France) *

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

(Tunisia) *

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

(Romania) * Fimber Bravo (Trinidad & Tobago) * Flavia Coelho( Brazil) * Fredy Massamba (Congo) *

GOCOO Gocoo, or GOCOO () are originally seven female and four male Taiko drummers from Tokyo ( Japan). On stage Gocoo performs with up to 16 artists. Gocoo performed at major Music & Arts, Blues & Roots, Rock & Pop and alternative Rock festivals, in l ...

(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 members ...

(UK) *

Huun-Huur-Tu Huun-Huur-Tu ( tyv, Хүн Хүртү, Hün Hürtü, ; rus, Хуун-Хуур-Ту, ) are a music group from Tuva, a Russian federative republic situated on the Mongolia–Russia border. Their music includes throat singing, in which the singer ...

(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 Meidah ( ar, المعلومة منت الميداح, al-Maʿlūma Mint al-Maydāḥ), also simply Maalouma or Malouma (; born October 1, 1960), is a Mauritanian singer, songwriter and politician. Raised in the south-west of the ...

(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 Ton ...

(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 an ...

(Chile) * Ondatrópica (Colombia) * Parov Stelar Band (Austria) * Riot Jazz Brass Band (UK) * Sam Lee and Friends (UK) * Schlachthofbronx (Germany) *

Spoek Mathambo Nthato 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 influences. He is kno ...

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

Syd Arthur Syd Arthur are 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. Raven Bush is the nephew of singer Kate Bush. Rother was officially r ...

(UK) * Tamikrest (Mali) * The Bombay Royale (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 (Brazil) * Zykopops (Croatia) * Roopa Panesar (United Kingdom) *

Imperial Tiger Orchestra Imperial Tiger Orchestra is a Swiss group of modern popular Ethiopian music. Its name hints at the Imperial bodyguard band of the Halie Selassie era and Monty Python’s “Tiger in Africa” sketch It was formed after a jam organized by Genevan t ...

(Switzerland) * Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band (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 Konkoma is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a count ...

(Ghana) *

Red Hot Chilli Pipers Red Hot Chilli Pipers are a Celtic rock band from Scotland. Formed in 2002, they 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 trad ...

(Scotland)

WOMAD Charlton Park 2014

The headliners for 2014 include

Youssou N'Dour Youssou N'Dour (, wo, Yuusu Nduur; 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'' magazine describe ...

, Sinead O'Connor, Manu Dibango and Les Ambassadeurs. The initial headlining act,

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

, died a few weeks before the festival.

WOMAD Charlton Park 2020

WOMAD 2020 was cancelled due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

, and a virtual festival weekend being held instead. One band, Will Lawton and the Alchemists, however gained permission to access the site and recorded a short two song set purely to be "The only band to play WOMAD 2020", with the video and images being 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 cancellation insurance scheme from the government.

References

External links

Official website

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