WOMADelaide 2024

WOMADelaide 2024 saw 72 groups from 40+ countries and the site undergoing its most significant redesign since the festival’s establishment. This made available more green space and shaded areas, along with the stunning innovation of the 160-metre-long, cultural retail hub, the WoMarkets, together with revised staging locations and clearway access routes and the new ‘performance studio established in the Adelaide Botanic High School – which hosted extraordinary nightly dance performances by Maqamat – ready for the next five years of welcoming the world to Adelaide.

While heatwave conditions encouraged crowds to arrive later in the day, attendances over the four days approached 98,000 – with more four-day passes purchased than ever before, and an increase in ticket-buyers taking up the pay-as-you-go service.

Festival artists brought messages of hope, peace and unity, stages saw reggae royalty Ziggy Marley finally arrive four years after his Covid delayed appearance in 2020, the voice of the Tunisian revolution Emel Mathlouthi, Pakistani singer, composer and producer Arooj Aftab, Brazilian Tropicália pioneer and politician Gilberto Gil, and Afrobeat sensation and activist Seun Kuti & Egypt 80.

Other highlights at this year’s event included the extraordinary performance installation MULJIL, the joyous Celebration Parade from Handspring & Slingsby theatre captivating audiences around the park. With the festival opening on International Women’s Day – performances by Grammy winning singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae, Angolan-Portuguese singer Pongo and Ukrainian ‘ethno chaos’ quartet DakhaBrakha.

Festival favourite Sampa the Great made surprise appearances for both ‘Zamrock’ band WITCH and one of Africa’s best-known artists Angélique Kidjo returned to the Foundation Stage; ARIA award-winner, Jen Cloher joined by Māori cultural performance group T’HONI to perform the Kapa Haka; and rapturous crowds were captivated by Senegalese superstar Baaba Maal, British jazz wunderkind Yussef Dayes, and Swedish folk hero José González.

"Our only final thought was ‘why did we wait so long to go?’" - ArtsHub

"...the greatest treasure this festival offers us – the chance to listen, learn, and dance to a beat we've never heard before." - Double J

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Music & Dance

A.Girl (Australia)
Al-Qasar (France/Turkey/Armenia/USA)
Angelique Kidjo (Benin)
Arooj Aftab (USA/Pakistan)
Aurora Vocal Ensemble (Australia)
AURUS (Reunion)
Baaba Maal (Senegal)
Black Jesus Experience (Ethiopia/Aus)
Born in a Taxi - Illuminated Angels
Braxe + Falcon (France)
Bromham (Australia)
Budos Band, The (USA)
Bumpy (Australia)
Cambodian Space Project, The (Cambodia/Aus)
CC:DISCO! (Australia)
Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul (Belgium)
Cie L’immédiat - La lévitation réelle (France)
Compagnie On Off - Le Chant de L'eau (France)
Corinne Bailey Rae (UK)
CORPUS - Divine Intervention & Les moutons (Canada)
Cymande (UK)
DakhaBrakha (Ukrane)
Dean Brady (Australia)
DJ Koco (Japan)
Druid Fluids (Australia)
DUBIOZA KOLEKTIV (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Elephants Laugh - Muljil (South Korea)
Elle Shimada (Australia)
Emel Mathlouthi (Tunisia)
Emma Volard (Australia)
Erin Buku (Australia)
Folk Bitch Trio (Australia)
Gilberto Gil (Brazil)
Good Ones, The (Rwanda)
Handspring Puppet Company Celebration Parade - with Slingsby Theatre Co (South Africa)
Hollie Cook (UK)
Ibibio Sound Machine (UK)
Illapu (Chile)
Jen Cloher + T'HONI (Aus/NZ)
José González (Sweden)
Ju Ben (Fiji)
Katanga Junior (Tanzania/Aus)
Kaurna Welcomes to Country - Jamie G Taikurtinna & Ashum Owen Ngangki Warra (Australia)
La Bomba (Australia)
Leenalchi (South Korea)
Lisa O'Neill & Cormac Begley (Ireland)
MC Yallah & Debmaster (Uganda/France)
Omar Rajeh I Maqamat – Beytna (Lebanon/France)
Mari Kalkun (Estonia)
Marta Pereira da Costa (Portugal)
Mauskovic Dance Band (Netherlands)
Mildlife (Australia)
Mo'Ju (Australia)
Moonlight Benjamin (Haiti/France)
Morcheeba (UK)
Pongo (Angola/Portual)
Pt. Tejendra Narayan Majumdar & Dr. Ambi Subramaniam (India)
Rob Edwards (Australia)
RoZéO - Gratte Ciel (France)
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 (Nigeria)
Sharon Shannon Big Band (Ireland)
Sofia Menguita (Australia)
Slowmango (Australia)
Son Rompe Pera (Mexico)
STREB EXTREME ACTION (USA)
Tenzin Choegyal (Tibet/Aus)
Thee Sacred Souls (USA)
Tio (Vanuatu)
Wantok Sing Sing feat. TELEK (Oceania)
Wildfire Manwurrk (Australia)
WITCH (Zambia)
Yoga - The Dock Studios (Australia)
Yussef Dayes (UK)
Ziggy Marley (Jamaica)
Ziggy Ramo (Australia)

Planet Talks

Abby Barrows
Anote Tong
Andrew Lowe
Andrew Skeoch
Anthony Albrecht
Ariadne Gorring
Bob Brown
Bronwyn Gillanders
Chris Daniels
Clare Peddie
Darryl Jones
Elaine Johnson
Joe Morrison
Kate Andrews
Martine Maron
Noah Schultz-Byard
Roj Amedi
Sarah Bekessy
Shannon Evenden
Sheryn Pitman
Simone Slattery
Tiahni Adamson
Tishiko King
Vanessa Pirotta
Yessie Mosby

Around the Park

Born in a Taxi – Illuminated Angels
Cie L'immediat - La lévitation réelle
Compagnie On Off - Le Chant de L'eau
CORPUS - Les moutons & Divine Intervention
Elephants Laugh – Muljil
Handspring Puppet Company - Celebration Parade
Gratte Ciel - RoZéO
NSS Studio
STREB EXTREME ACTION
Taikurtinna Welcome to Country

KidZone

Art Gallery of South Australia – Paper Garden
City of Adelaide – City Libraries
Belinda & Marika Wilson - Ku Arts / Iwiri Arts / Sonya Rankine - First Nations weavers
Guru Dudu – Silent Disco Walking Tours
Handspring Puppet Company
Leafy Seadragon
Nature Play SA – endangered species puppet making
Evelyn Roth’s Nylon Zoo
Pacific Island Council SA - performances & weaving activity
Uncle Stevie’s Kaurna Classroom
Zoos SA – finger puppets