WOMAD Rome

A world festival in Rome

WOMAD is an acronym for World of Music, Arts and Dance, the most significant international network dedicated to world music, created in 1980 by British musician Peter Gabriel. For over forty years, the brand has showcased artists from every continent in dozens of countries, alongside workshops, dance, and global flavors. WOMAD Rome is its capital city iteration: not merely a concert series, but an immersive journey designed to bring diverse cultures together through music.

From the Villa Ada debut to the X Municipality

The festival made its Roman debut in 2023, marking the first time Peter Gabriel's brand arrived in the capital: a preview at the Auditorium Parco della Musica and three days of concerts at Villa Ada, which was transformed into a global village. Today, the project looks toward the coast: the company Helikonia Indi Edizioni Musicali ed Eventi presented WOMAD as part of the municipal Roma Creativa 365 call (Section 1A), which supports cultural activities across the city's districts for the 2025-2026 period. The project was selected for the X Municipality, the territory encompassing Ostia and the Roman coastline, with the goal of bringing world music out of the historic center and closer to the sea.

Music, arts, and dance from every continent

The hallmark of WOMAD is cultural cross-pollination: the stage features a rotation of voices and instruments from Africa, Latin America, the Mediterranean, and Asia, often in dialogue with Italian singer-songwriters. The 2023 Roman edition featured performances by, among others, Carmen Consoli, Portuguese fado singer Mariza, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, the Chilean band Chico Trujillo, Enzo Avitabile, and Modena City Ramblers. Surrounding the concerts is the traditional WOMAD ecosystem: musical and artistic workshops, artist meet-and-greets, and spaces dedicated to discovering global cuisines.

A global village for families

One of WOMAD's distinctive features is its focus on younger audiences: alongside the evening program, there are workshops for children and families, creative ateliers, and participatory moments that make the festival an experience suitable for all ages. It is this spirit of collective, intercultural celebration that the project aims to root within the fabric of the X Municipality.

WOMAD Rome in Lazio

Included in the cultural calendar of the City of Rome and the Lazio Region, WOMAD Rome represents an important piece of the capital's summer offerings: an international festival that chooses the coastal periphery as its stage, highlighting Ostia as a meeting point between the city and the music of the world. Dates and the program for the 2026 edition will be announced by the organizers on official channels.