"The most important international professional market of world music of every kind. This international fair brings together professionals from the worlds of folk, roots, ethnic and traditional music and also includes concerts, conferences and documentary films. It contributes to networking as an effective means of promoting music and culture of all kinds across frontiers." UNESCO Global Alliance for Cultural Diversity
"WOMEX, the biggest world music trade fair on the planet" The Australian
"World music fans and professionals must etch one event permanently into their diaries: the WOMEX conference, exhibition and festival! […] It was my first time attending this world music expo in Sevilla, and I am totally addicted now! In addition to meeting hundreds of bookers, labels, cultural promotion agencies and musicians, the highlight is catching 45 [49!] bands from around the world live in concert." Madanmohan Rao, World Music Editor at Rave Magazine & RJ, India
Over 2700 delegates and 1420 companies from 92 countries.
Over 970 concert and festival bookers, arguably the highest concentration of potential bookers in the same place at the same time anywhere on the planet.
Over 760 labels, publishers and distributors.
Over 770 managers and 420 producers.
Over 400 national and international journalists, including 150 radio broadcasters.
A bustling Trade Fair with 280 stands and over 650 exhibiting companies, including numerous umbrella stands of countries, regions, networks and other joint-venture structures.
57 Showcase acts with over 340 artists from 43 countries on 6 stages.
More than 60 speakers in around 30 Conference and Mentoring Sessions and Master Classes.
The Festive Opening event, presenting an all-star Nordic band with artists from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Samiland. Danish fiddler Harald Haugaard created and directed this once-in-a-lifetime concert experience.
The 11th Annual WOMEX Award, this year honouring DR Congo's Staff Benda Bilili and France's Christian Mousset.
The WOMEX Top Label Award in recognition of label excellence, compiled in association with the World Music Charts Europe, this year awarded to Crammed Discs of Belgium.
The WOMEX World Music Film Market with 11 film screenings, in cooperation with the International Music + Media Centre IMZ, Vienna.
Numerous Networking Meetings, Presentations and Receptions.
The Radio WOMEX broadcasting studio for live interviews and performances, organised by NRK from Norway in collaboration with DR from Denmark.
The WOMEX TV Studio and Webcast, in cooperation with Mondomix, Paris.
virtualWOMEX – the professional future of world music online.
2009 brought a new city and a new partnership. Denmark's capital will be hosting WOMEX from 2009-2011. Many of the city's key cultural players banded together to make the invitation, and then created WorldMusicFair Copenhagen (WMF CPH) to become the local production partner. First and foremost Roskilde Festival, Copenhagen Jazz Festival and Wonderful Copenhagen. The other principal members comprise the Danish Center for Culture and Development (CKU/DCCD), Global Copenhagen and World Music Denmark in cooperation with Welcome Meeting Management.
Fifteen WOMEX editions have affirmed the value of networking across borders, be they musical, political, cultural or commercial. Since 1994 WOMEX has been travelling all across Europe from Berlin (1994), via Brussels (1995), Marseille (1997), Stockholm (1998), Berlin (1999 + 2000), Rotterdam (2001), Essen (2002 + 2004), Newcastle (2005), Sevilla (2003 + 2006 - 2008) to Copenhagen (2009).
"It was fabulous, meeting all Europe and everyone else in one place. I made over 70 contacts within three exciting days and got lots of inspiration in musical, human and social regards." Sabine Schebrak, Cultureworks, Austria
WOMEX: The Event
WOMEX runs on the last October weekend of every year. Starting on a Wednesday afternoon from 14:00 with early-bird registration and a sneak preview to the Trade Fair followed by the WOMEX Opening night with the first Showcases. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday come the principal days with the full Conference, Film Market, Trade Fair and Showcase programmes. Sunday hosts the networking breakfast and celebrated WOMEX Award ceremony. It's the last opportunity to make contacts and wind down with a leisurely drink and a final good-bye.
Opening: The Wednesday night kick-off sets the pace and standard for the days to come.
Trade Fair: Open from Wednesday 14:00 and closing on Saturday 18:00, the Trade Fair is the nerve centre of WOMEX. This is where the international world music community meets to do business: artists, festivals, labels, distributors, umbrella stands, music companies and more. For set up and take down hours please refer to the Trade Fair page.
"WOMEX was such a transforming and inspiring experience for me... a defining moment of solidarity and strength for music producers and promoters!" Skinder Hundal, Sampad South Asian Arts, UK
Conference: Each year the programme is designed to serve the industry's ongoing need for education, exchange and inspiration. Seminars, mentoring, training, information - keep up with the changes, trends and innovations. Colleagues and special guests offer can't-miss sessions that help delegates navigate the uncharted new waters of the music industry.
Film Market: Showcasing the film and TV market for world music, the screenings are selected by the International Music and Media Centre IMZ (Austria). Plus WOMEX World Music Films on Tour is your chance to book the best of recent films for your event.
Showcases: With the official Showcases, offWOMEX, Opening and Award Showcase, more than 40 acts from everywhere and anywhere are highlighted at WOMEX. The latest, the greatest and the up-and-coming, all at a single event.
"Thank you so much for everything you did to make WOMEX such a fantastic festival and promotion center for world music. […] The impact of this showcase is great: we have got very warm response, good media interviews, and several contracts have been well on the way, with a tour of an estimated minimum of 20 concerts for 2009 - 2010." Dr. Risheng Wang, Philmultic Management & Productions, Canada, on his WOMEX 08 Daycase
WOMEX is "A highly respected world music conference and trade show […]. World music icons such as Cesaria Evora, Mariza and Tinariwen launched their international careers there." Grammy - The Recording Academy in your Community
Radio WOMEX Studio: A fully equipped radio studio where broadcasters the world over can interview Conference speakers and artists – many of whom perform live right in the studio. WOMEX delegates are all invited, making the studio one more way for artists and the professional community to meet.
WOMEX TV Studio: Run by our partner Mondomix (France), it is open to all WOMEXicans who will be able to watch live interviews with artists and professionals conducted by their team of journalists.
Awards: The prestigious annual WOMEX Awards honour quality, creativity and success in global music on the international level. The WOMEX Top Label Award goes to the chart-topping label voted by Europe's best world music DJ's (World Music Charts Europe).
"This conference is a place not only to network, make deals but you can discover a ton of great music from all over the world…[...] Everyone at WOMEX is super friendly. There is no pretense, no attitude and everyone there absolutely hands down loves the music and culture….I had a tremendous learning experience, ate some amazing food, toasted and drank great wine, some great musical discoveries and made new friends. What else could you want." Fiona Bloom, The Bloom Effect, USA
WOMEX "pulls together the global World Music Community to talk business, share wares and generally party late into the night while everyone tries to catch-up with the last twelve month's news." Brian Heywood, Dunstable Gazette, UK
Language
International English is the lingua franca of the professional music community in general, the world music community in particular and the WOMEX choice for successful interaction.
Partners
One of WOMEX' central aims is to develop partnerships with (world) music media, networks, trade fairs and festivals. If you want to join the club, become a WOMEX partner or start a local WOMEX Offspring relationship, please contact us for details.
WOMEX "pulls together the global World Music Community to talk business, share wares and generally party late into the night while everyone tries to catch-up with the last twelve month´s news. "Brian Heywood, Dunstable Gazette
WOMEX. Where else in the world can you meet colleagues, exchange ideas and contacts, do so much business - and still find time to hear so much great music?
