From 21 to 25 October, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria will once again become the international hub for world music with the 32nd edition of Womex, the sector’s leading trade fair, which returns to the city eight years after its first edition on the island in 2018.
The event brings together around 2,000 delegates from 90 countries, as well as artists, journalists and representatives from the international music industry, in a gathering that combines a trade fair, cultural activities and concerts aimed at programme commissioners and industry professionals.
One of the event’s local producers, Antón Martínez, told EFE that Womex «is a trade fair for professionals working in world music», divided into two main sections: a daytime fair featuring artists, agencies and record labels, and an evening ‚Showcase Festival‘ where musicians perform 45-minute concerts to seek contracts, collaborations and international exchanges.
Las Palmas: Womex reflects Canary Island culture
Martínez emphasised that Womex is a travelling trade fair and that it is only held in regions with a distinct cultural identity, noting that «20 per cent of the fair aims to reflect the character of each region or city where it is held» and that Canarian culture, «as a meeting point between Europe, Africa and Latin America», fits in with the spirit of this festival.
The local producer also emphasised the strategic importance of the Canary Islands as a hub for cultural exchange and highlighted the impact of holding the event next to Las Canteras beach. «The delegates are really enjoying it,» he said.
According to the figures provided by Martínez, 350 artists, more than 50 individual performances and around 200 exhibitors are taking part in this year’s event.
Spanish folk music is gaining international prominence
Ana Belén Faus, Deputy Director of Music and Dance at the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (INAEM), has told journalists that the fair serves to foster professional partnerships and promote the internationalisation of Spanish music through the ‚Sounds from Spain‘ exhibition, which is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year.
Faus also highlighted the rise of roots music in Spain, noting that folk music is «very much in vogue», and singling out artists such as Rosalía, Guitarricadelafuente and Rodrigo Cuevas.
«It’s music that’s very contemporary, very innovative, very modern, very new, and yet at the same time it has its roots firmly planted in the very essence of our land (…) and I think it makes everyone’s heart skip a beat,» she added.
Gran Canaria highlights its cultural and economic benefits
For his part, Womex’s executive director, Frank Klaffs, has praised the event’s return to Gran Canaria for its role as a cultural bridge between continents and has described it as a venue «of the highest quality».
The President of the Gran Canaria Island Council, Antonio Morales, highlighted on Friday during a visit to the Womex venue the economic and cultural impact of the 2018 edition and defended the institution’s commitment to reviving the event.
«It reaffirms our role as a meeting point for cultures, the islands in the middle of the Atlantic, which bring us closer to the different continents through music,» said Morales.
The mayor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Carolina Darias, has stated that Womex positions the city «as an international benchmark at the heart of the global music scene», at a crucial moment for its bid to become European Capital of Culture 2031.
The Deputy Minister for Universities and Research of the Canary Islands Government, Ciro Gutiérrez, has highlighted the presence of around 50 Canarian artists and creators at the ‚Canarias Suena‘ venue and has championed the event’s role as an international platform for talent from the archipelago.
For his part, Carlos Álamo, the Gran Canaria Island Council’s Councillor for Tourism, emphasised the event’s promotional and tourism impact, stating that Womex allows the island to show that it «is much more than just sun and beaches«.
Tenerife is to host the next edition of Womex
The organisers have already confirmed that the next edition of Womex will be held in Tenerife.
«We are strongly committed to the Canary Islands because we believe that, indeed, the two islands, each with their own identity, are perfectly compatible destinations,» concluded Martínez.
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