Christopher BarrettAfter a fallow year, WOMAD will make a comeback this summer at a new site, with new stages, a new capacity, and a line-up of artists announced today (24 February).
The 43rd edition of WOMAD (cap. 25,000) will take place on 23-26 July, when the independent festival will become the first event to be held at the Neston Park country house and estate in Wiltshire.
Overseen by a team led by festival director Chris Smith, this year’s new-look WOMAD will feature a lineup of international talent including London-based Neo-Soul artist Greentea Peng, Malian star Oumou Sangaré, Reggae legend Barrington Levy and Swedish Folk singer-songwriter José González.
The unveiling of the first wave of artists for WOMAD’s return follows the news from the event’s organisers that this year’s edition has enjoyed a record-breaking sell-out of Tier 1 tickets in just 50 minutes.
In a recent interview with Access All Areas, Smith said the fallow year and move to a new site had presented the opportunity to take a fresh approach: “We’re not going to use any of the same structures and we’re not going to use any of the same stage names; it’s literally a case of blank piece of field and off we go.”
On announcing the first wave of acts for this year’s event, Smith said, “We are so excited to be counting down to the start of WOMAD Neston Park in July. Everyone around us has been so supportive in helping us achieve the move to a fabulous new home. Our audience, the artists, and the local community all believe in the importance of WOMAD as much as we do. Thank you!”