An Australian music institution, WOMADelaide has grown into one of the country’s most cherished cultural events – an expansive celebration of music, art, dance, and global connection set beneath the ancient trees of Botanic Park / Tainmuntilla. Its full name, drawn from the World Of Music, Arts & Dance, WOMAD, and the city of Adelaide / Tarntanya, reflects both its international origins and its deep local roots. Few festivals embody the spirit of cultural exchange as warmly or as vividly as WOMADelaide.
The festival’s story began in 1992 as a bold experiment led by the Adelaide Festival, whose organisers approached the UK-based WOMAD team with the idea of bringing the iconic global gathering to South Australia. Founded a decade earlier by Grammy-winning musician Peter Gabriel, WOMAD was built on a simple belief: that music is one of humanity’s most powerful unifiers. “Music is a universal language,” Gabriel famously said. “It draws people together and proves, as well as anything, the stupidity of racism.” This ethos became the heartbeat of WOMADelaide from its very first edition.
After taking on an independent life in 1993, WOMADelaide was initially staged every two years, alternating with the then-biennial Adelaide Festival. Its popularity and momentum grew rapidly, prompting a shift to an annual format in 2004 – a move that not only transformed WOMADelaide but helped cement Adelaide’s vibrant March festival season, with the Adelaide Fringe and Adelaide Festival soon following suit. By 2010, WOMADelaide expanded into a four-day celebration, adding The Planet Talks series in 2013, an environmental ideas program that brings global thinkers, scientists, storytellers, and activists together to explore the urgent issues shaping our shared future.
Over more than three decades, WOMADelaide has carved out a distinct place in the Australian festival landscape, and the lives of those who attend to connect with friends and families each year. More than an audience, the WOMADelaide community experience world-class performances from international and national artists. It has become a meeting point for the world: where traditional ensembles share the stage with electronic visionaries, where large-scale installations transform the parklands, and where visitors encounter the surprising, the essential, and the extraordinary.
WOMADelaide stands as a testament to the transformative power of art and multiculturalism. Rooted in Kaurna Country yet global in imagination, it continues to invite thousands of people each year to discover, connect, dance, reflect, and celebrate our shared humanity.