CERYS MATTHEWS ANNOUNCED AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR FOR SPECTACULAR CELEBRATION OF WELSH CULTURE AND MUSIC
When leading international world music industry delegates arrive in Cardiff this October, they’ll be welcomed to Wales, UK by Cerys Matthews and a host of our leading musicians. The opening concert of WOMEX, the international world music expo, will this year be dedicated to the music of Wales and made in Wales. It will be a celebration of the Nations’ unique culture and music, presented at Wales Millennium Centre’s Donald Gordon Theatre. Each year, the honour of presenting the WOMEX opening concert is a hard fought contest, but Cerdd Cymru and Cerys Matthews’ proposals won through. With some 1,500 international world music agents, producers and festival organisers set to attend, this performance will put Wales’s music firmly on the world map.
WOMEX 13 Cardiff, Wales, UK will be a five-day world music market. It will be hosted in Cardiff between 23 and 27 October 2013, focussed around two venues. The Motorpoint arena will host 2500 international world music delegates for a daytime conference then, by night, focus will turn to Wales Millennium Centre and Oval Basin (Roald Dahl Plas), where WOMEX delegates will be joined by public audiences to roam around six stages and enjoy over 60 showcases of the best world music on the planet. The performance element of WOMEX 13 Cardiff begins with a gala opening concert on Wednesday 23 October. This will be followed by three evenings of world music showcases on Thursday to Saturday and DJ Nights.
WOMEX 13 Cardiff offers an opportunity for world music from Wales to receive international exposure on an unprecedented scale as the international world music industry comes to Wales. It is an event that will connect the sector in Wales with the wider UK and the world.
Cerdd Cymru: Music Wales spearheaded the successful campaign to attract WOMEX to Wales and is coordinating the local delivery of WOMEX 13 Cardiff. Eluned Haf, Director of Cerdd Cymru: Music Wales said: “The WOMEX opening concert will be a moment when the world will be listening to the music of Wales. Our anthem proclaims that we are a land of singers but internationally much of our music talent and heritage is yet to be discovered. This is a golden moment to secure a place for Wales’ music tradition within the world music family.”
Commenting on the announcement, Ben Mandleson, WOMEX Founding Director, said: “We see the Opening Concert at WOMEX as a great opportunity to grab in-depth insight into what may be uncharted musical territory for most of the world, even for our WOMEX delegates! It’s also a chance to dispel a few preconceptions. That’s why we are proud to welcome this WOMEX Opening Concert: it will re-imagine and present a spirited music scene in Wales deeply rooted in its traditions AND looking boldly into the future.’
WOMEX 13 Cardiff is an opportunity for those interested in world music from across the globe to discover the treasures of Wales’s indigenous musical traditions and the ethnic diversity of the scene today, which has helped to blend the Welsh music tradition with contemporary and world forms. It is also an opportunity for music fans in Wales to explore a world of music. Announcements regarding the line up of artists for the performance on 23 October 2013 will be made in the coming months. 400 public tickets will go on sale via Wales Millennium Centre’s Box Office today (21 March 2013) at a price of £25.00 / £30.00 per ticket. To book, either log onto www.wmc.org.uk
WOMEX 13 Cardiff is hosted by Cerdd Cymru: Music Wales – a partnership between Arts Council of Wales/ Wales Arts International and Welsh Music Foundation. WOMEX 13 Cardiff project directors are Cardiff & Co, Cardiff Council, Motorpoint Arena & Wales Millennium Centre. WOMEX 13 Cardiff is supported by Welsh Government.