Womad’s 2019 lineup announced
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern paid tribute to Taranaki’s Womad festival during a launch event for next year’s 15th anniversary of the three-day music and arts extravaganza.
Kora, The Black Seeds, and Nadia Reid are among the 30 acts now announced to play in Brooklands Park from March 15 to 17.
They will join the already announced Kiwi act Teeks, international artists Angelique Kidjo, and Silkroad Ensemble.
Next year’s programme announcement came at a launch event held at the Grand Hall in Wellington’s Parliament Buildings last night at which the Prime Minister said Womad was now ‘‘part of the DNA’’ of New Plymouth and South Taranaki.
‘‘My hope and aspiration is that no matter where you are, or what your socioeconomic situation is, you have access to arts and culture.
‘‘Womad brings that to your doorstep.’’
She fondly recalled her own Womad experience when Irish singer Sinead O’Connor took to the Bowl of Brooklands stage and was distracted by a duck and couldn’t finish a song.
Ardern said Womad had brought $126 million to the region since 2003.
The festival’s UK manager, Mike Large, told the assembled crowd of around 200 people, including politicians, sponsors and event board members, that Womad would remain in Taranaki until at least 2024, but he was confident it would stay around for longer.
The three-day arts celebration was recently named Best National Event of the Year 2017 at the New Zealand Event Awards.
New Plymouth National MP Jonathan Young told the launch that Womad was increasingly important to what he called ‘‘the creative heart of New Zealand’’.
‘‘Taranaki’s 170 year history was born out of conflict and yet we see this event year by year that brings communities and cultures together.
Next year’s Womad will also see The Kunming area revamped to host the World of Words stage which will feature the 10 wordsmiths announced last night. Taranaki Arts Festival Trust chief executive Suzanne Porter said due to the popularity of World of Words they extended the programme to include late night slots.
‘‘The World of Words for 2019 has been relocated to the beautiful setting of the Kunming Garden area. This will allow for a revitalisation of this area alongside an upmarket bar serving craft beers, fine wines and gin cocktails.
Event director Emere Wano said their hope was that festival goers would discover something or someone new.
Wano said the programme was really balanced with a bit of everything from reggae to soul. In addition to the live acts, the event also features workshops, a Kidzone, cuisine from around the world, a global village and a living library.
Full lineup:
International: Angelique Kidjo (Benin), Silkroad Ensemble (Various), Amjad Ali Khan (India), Baloji (DR Congo/ Belguim), BCUC – Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness (South Africa), Dona Onete (Brazil), Jamie Smith’s Mabon (Wales), La Dame Blanche (Cuba), Las Cafeteras (Mexico), Maalem Hamid El Kasri (Morocco), Maarja Nuut (Estonia), My Baby (Netherlands), Rebetien (Greece), Sharon Shannon Band (Ireland) and Taiwu Childrens Ancient Ballads Troupe (Taiwan).
Aotearoa: Teeks, Charlotte Johansen, Finn Andrews (Aotearoa / United Kingdom), KORA, Nadia Reid, Niko Ne Zna, Ria Hall and The Black Seeds.
World of Words: Dominic Tourettes Hoey, Elizabeth Smither, Marama Mullen, Marcus Thomas and Neil Silverwood, Michael Donaldson, Michele A’Court, Nick Bollinger, Penny Ashton, Pip Adam, and Sonya Renee Taylor.