WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) is one of the UK’s mightiest arts festivals. The event, which was co-founded by legendary musician Peter Gabriel in the 1980s, sets out to explore culture from all over the world, having hosted editions in dozens of different countries.
Never, however, has WOMAD been held in Scotland – until now. The festival has announced it will be holding its first ever Scottish event in Glasgow in 2026, promising ‘an eclectic line-up of high-profile and emerging artists performing a vast range of global music including pop, dance, folk, jazz, hip-hop and beyond across three stages’.
WOMAD Glasgow will be held in Kelvingrove Park next July. It’ll be organised by WOMAD International alongside Celtic Connections (a local folk, roots and world music event) and Glasgow Life, and it’ll take place on July 3-4 2026.
The OG WOMAD fest will also return in 2026, having taken a year off. The event will take place at a new location at Neston Park in Wiltshire on July 23-26.
The Glasgow event won’t just have music, arts and dance: it’ll apparently also host free musician- and dancer-led workshops, as well as serve up ‘heritage dishes’ cooked by artists.
Peter Gabriel said about WOMAD Glasgow: ‘It’s brilliant to see the first Scottish WOMAD and thanks to Glasgow Life for giving us this wonderful opportunity. Glasgow is one of the first UNESCO cities of music and it’s always had a warm and welcoming attitude to the people and cultures of the world.
‘At a time when hatred is being deliberately whipped up and when differences are being exploited for political gain, it’s increasingly important to have a meeting place which goes in the other direction; where our differences are celebrated, enjoyed and bring us together.’
Lineup and ticket details for WOMAD Glasgow haven’t yet been announced. You can sign up for updates on the festival website here.
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