WOMADelaide

Not Drowning, Waving performing at WOMADelaide 1992 (the first)

Crowd at WOMADelaide 2011

WOMADelaide was first run in 1992 as part of the Adelaide Festival of Arts. From 1993 it ran every two years (in odd-numbered years) so as to not conflict with subsequent editions of the Festival. From 1996 the management and production of WOMADelaide was taken on by the Adelaide-based company, Arts Projects Australia.[1]

In 2003, WOMADelaide became an annual festival, following a decision made by the Rann government to financially support the event.[2] That year, WOMADelaide Foundation Limited was also established as a not-for-profit organisation.[3] The Foundation presented subsequent festivals and special projects for remote Indigenous arts communities.[4]

In 2010, in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Adelaide Festival of Arts, WOMADelaide extended to four days. Due to overwhelming popularity, the festival has continued at this length.[5] That year, WOMADelaide was produced and presented by the WOMADelaide Foundation, was managed by Arts Projects Australia and WOMAD Ltd, and was presented in association with the Government of South Australia.[6]

In 2015 the South Australian Tourism Commission (an agency of the Government of South Australia) replaced the Government of South Australia as the event's new principal partner. As of 2017, the South Australian Tourism Commission remains the event's principal partner.

In 2017, WOMADelaide became a smoke-free event, with provision for smoking in three designated areas.[7]

In 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, WOMADelaide was held in King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina instead of its usual location at Botanic Park, so that the venue could comply with the restrictions necessary to prevent any possible spread of COVID-19.[8][9] The format was changed to a series of seated concerts on a single stage, opening with Archie Roach and closing with Midnight Oil and First Nations collaborators on their Makarrata Live project.[10] This was also the first year of WOMADelaide x NSS Academy, a collaboration with the youth music centre Northern Sound System, which was established to provide training and development program for emerging Aboriginal South Australians and multicultural artists. The program identified 10 artists in its first year or operation, with musical duo MRLN x RKM selected to support Vika & Linda and Midnight Oil at WOMAD.[11][12]

The event is hosted by the WOMAD festivals organisation, which aims "to excite, to create, to inform and to highlight awareness of the worth and potential of a multicultural society".[13] The festival encourages people to experience the music of cultures other than their own as a way of developing global understanding,[14] and aims to entertain all age groups and people from all backgrounds.[4] WOMADelaide has won the Helpmann Award for "Best Contemporary Music Festival" in 2008[15] and 2016,[16] the Australian Event Awards "Best Cultural, Arts or Music Event" in 2015,[17] and the Fowlers Live / SA Music Awards "Best Live Music Event" for five years in a row, 2012 - 2016.[18]

View of Botanic Park

WOMADelaide is usually held in Botanic Park, which is situated north-east of central Adelaide, between the Adelaide Zoo and Adelaide Botanic Garden. The 34-hectare (84-acre) park is fenced off for the duration of the festival. The main stages are set up around a backstage compound with Stage 1 in the middle and Stages 2 and 3 on either side, all facing out from the backstage area. There are an additional four smaller stages (Zoo Stage, Moreton Bay Stage and two in Speakers Corner). There are also visual arts exhibitions, a KidZone, a Global Village market area with over 100 food, crafts and display stalls, as well as several bars. All front-of-stage areas, the KidZone and the food and drink area are designated smoke-free.

WOMADelaide has worked closely with Zero Waste SA in waste minimisation. After the 2005 festival, some six tonnes of compost from WOMADelaide waste were returned to the Adelaide Botanic Garden, in an effort to preserve the delicate ecosystem in which the event is located. In 2007, WOMADelaide joined forces with Greening Australia, Australia’s largest environmental organisation, to remove the global warming impact of the event. The carbon generated through artists’ travel, and the festival site lighting and power was offset through the re-vegetation of native bushland in SA, which also helped to restore native habitat for rare and endangered species, and to reduce the effects of salinity.

A day only event (with full weekend tickets also available, no camping on site), WOMADelaide has grown steadily in audience size from 30,000 in 1993 to over 90,000 over the four day events annually since 2014. "About 95,000" people attended in 2015.[19] All prior attendance records were broken in 2016 when over 95,000 people attended over the course of the weekend.[20]

In 2023 the event sold out its first three days (Fri-Sun) for the very first time and was nearly sold out for its final day on the Labour Day Monday.

In 2008 WOMADelaide won the FasterLouder Festival Award for best Sound & Production.[21] WOMADelaide also received the 2008 Helpmann Award for Best Contemporary Music Festival.[22]

Archie Roach performing at WOMADelaide 2011

Féfé performing at WOMADelaide 2011

Warren Ellis of the Dirty Three performing at WOMADelaide 2012

WOMADelaide draws its performing artists from all over the world. A specific emphasis is placed on traditional music and performances of various cultures although some more contemporary, popular acts are included. The festival runs from 6pm to 1am on Friday, from 12noon until 1am on Saturday and from 12noon-12midnight on Sunday. In 2010, due to substantial popularity WOMADelaide was extended to include Monday from 12noon - 12midnight, making the festival four days in length. Artists also lead workshops demonstrating and/or discussing aspects of their performances on smaller stages. There are also artists who do "roving" performances through the park and installation pieces, such as La Compagnie Carabosse, who set up large fire installations at the 2005 festival.

Some of the many artists who have appeared at WOMADelaide include:

• A.B. Original
• Afro Celt Sound System
• Azadoota
• The Beautiful Girls
• Black Grace
• Blue King Brown
• Briggs
• Sarah Blasko
• John Butler Trio
• Capercaillie
• Kev Carmody
• The Cat Empire
• Jimmy Cliff
• The Correspondents
• Crowded House
• Daara J
• The Dhol Foundation
• Dirty Three
• Fat Freddy's Drop
• Peter Gabriel
• Gil Scott Heron
• Salif Keita
• Paul Kelly and the Stormwater Boys
• Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
• Kimbra
• Late Nite Tuff Guy
• Leningrad Cowboys
• Lior
• Mad Professor
• Baaba Maal
• Miriam Makeba
• Master Drummers of Burundi
• Melbourne Ska Orchestra
• Midnight Oil
• Not Drowning, Waving
• Ozomatli
• Archie Roach
• Xavier Rudd
• Shooglenifty
• The Specials
• Dan Sultan
• Thandi Phoenix
• Themba
• Violent Femmes
• Marina Satti & Fones
• Tiddas
• The Waifs
• Les Yeux Noirs
• Yungchen Lhamo
• Zap Mama
• Noriko Tadano
• Courtney Barnett

• Official website