World of Music, Arts and Dance

WOMAD or World of Music, Arts and Dance, is a yearly arts event in Singapore. It made its debut in Singapore at the 1998 Festival of Arts. It was the first WOMAD to be held in Southeast Asia.

UK origins
WOMAD was founded in the United Kingdom in 1982 by rock stars Peter Gabriel and Thomas Brooman. It aims to bring together music and dance artistes from around the world who have mastered the traditions of their various countries and are interested in making them accessible to a wider audience.

Singapore presence
WOMAD Singapore is held at the Fort Canning Park every year. It features music and dance performances from more than 15 countries, including items by well-known artistes. It also features activities for children such as storytelling, creative dramas, arts and crafts activities, and interactive workshops that involve the use of masks and shadow-play. The setting is friendly and relaxed as people sit on the grass as they soak in the atmosphere and enjoy the music.

The first WOMAD in Singapore was held from 28 to 31 May 1998 and was attended by 14,000 people. It was presented by the National Arts Council as a curtain-raiser for the Arts Festival. The subsequent WOMAD festivals were held from 9 to 12 September 1999 and 1 to 3 September 2000.

In 2002, WOMAD Project Singapore was launched as a local branch of the UK-based organisation.



Author
Anasuya Balamurugam



References   
Festival of Arts - a feast, in every sense. (1998, June 2). The Straits Times, Life!, p. 5.

Go mad over WOMAD again. (1999, July 16). The Straits Times, Life!, p. 9.

I am WOMAD hear me roar. (2000, September 1). The Straits Times, p. 10.

Putting the mad back in WOMAD. (2000, July 28). The Straits Times, p. 3.

Wonders of WOMAD - Some of the best known around the globe. (1998, May 20). The Straits Times, Life!, p. 2.

WOMAD. (n.d.). WOMAD. Retrieved January 16, 2003, from www.womad.org

WOMAD. (n.d.). WOMAD Singapore 2004. Retrieved December 29, 2004, from womad.org/?festival=singapore

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. (2004). World music. Retrieved October 6, 2003, from www.britannica.com 



The information in this article is valid as at 2001 and correct as far as we can ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Arts>>Performing Arts
Performing arts--Singapore
Arts>>Dance
Arts>>Music
Arts>>Art museums, collections and exhibitions



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