WOMAD Glasgow has unveiled its full programme - with digital visualisations released by Glasgow Life of how the festival site at Kelvingrove Park will look this summer.
Scotland welcomes the internationally-acclaimed festival for a celebration of music, arts and cultural exchange for the first time from Friday 3 – Saturday 4 July 2026.
WOMAD stands for ‘World of Music, Arts and Dance’ and the full programme includes legendary performers, engaging workshops and vibrant cultural experiences.
More than 30 artists from 22 countries across five continents will perform, reflecting WOMAD’s spirit of musical discovery.
Legendary
World-renowned names joining the bill include London-based reggae vocalist and songwriter Hollie Cook, legendary Pakistani instrumentalist Ustad Noor Bakhsh, and Jamaica’s Andrew Chin, better known as the global phenomenon Brushy One String.
Acclaimed Scottish contemporary folk outfit Breabach, Sudanese singer, oud player and composer Sulaf, the inimitable duo of Justin Adams and Mauro Durante and West African favourites Ibibio Sound Machine are also on the bill.
From Puerto Rico, El Laberinto del Coco are a dynamic 14-piece outfit led by Héctor “Coco” Barez, while the beautiful music of South African star Bongeziwe Mabandla is set to captivate Glasgow audiences.
They are joined by Indian Man’s blend of UK underground and garage rhythms, live electronics, sampling and storytelling, French artist Lena C, and Türkiye’s Islandman.
The performances will take place across four stages, with two additional spaces for eating, drinking and activities for all the family in Kelvingrove Park.
At the heart of the festival, the main stage, The Kelvin Stage, will sit on the park’s red ash pitch, framed by the park’s picturesque greenery, as it welcomes some of the bill’s biggest names.
The Gravity Stage will take over Kelvingrove skatepark, against a backdrop of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
The park’s iconic ‘picnic hill’ will be transformed into The Lookout Stage, while The New World Stage will spotlight emerging and local talent, and interactive workshops.
To have an international arts showcase of this scale on our doorstep is remarkable, with audiences able to enjoy a world of music and wonder against the beauty of Kelvingrove Park - Billy Garrett
Elsewhere among the trees, The Connect area will also house workshops, as well as wellness sessions, and The Grove will become the festival’s hub for global food and drink.
WOMAD first took place in 1982 in Somerset, spearheaded by former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel.
In the decades since, it has taken place in 30 countries including Spain, Chile and New Zealand, among others, with an annual Australian version called WOMADelaide.
Scotland’s first edition of the event is being delivered in partnership with WOMAD International, Glasgow Life and Celtic Connections, combining global expertise with local cultural knowledge.
Billy Garrett, Director of Culture, Tourism and Events at Glasgow Life, said: “WOMAD arriving in Glasgow will be a landmark moment for Scotland, showcasing a sensational schedule of global performances.
“As a UNESCO City of Music, Glasgow is a meeting point of cultures, the best live music and unbeatable audiences – WOMAD has found a welcome home here.
“To have an international arts showcase of this scale on our doorstep is remarkable, with audiences able to enjoy a world of music and wonder against the beauty of Kelvingrove Park.
“This is your chance to be part of a cultural milestone, so come along, buy a ticket, support the arts and let’s show the world why Glasgow and music go hand in hand.”
Previously announced highlights from across the diverse WOMAD Glasgow programme also include Malian artist Vieux Farka Toure, a global icon of desert blues known as the ‘Hendrix of the Sahara’, high-energy Indian folk group The Raghu Dixit Project, and South London duo, O., who have been likened to a ‘world music White Stripes’.
South Korea’s ADG7, who combine shamanic folk music and glossy K-Pop energy will perform in Scotland for the first time, and Scottish talent will be in abundance, with renowned Hebridean Celtic rockers Peat & Diesel on the bill alongside folk fusion aficionados Shooglenifty.
A 12-piece GRIT Ensemble will play the seminal music of Martyn Bennett, while genre-breaking trad trio Talisk will take to their hometown stage having played every WOMAD location around the world.
Exciting
James Mackintosh of Shooglenifty welcomed WOMAD’s long-awaited arrival in Scotland. He said: “Over the last three decades The Shoogles have been fortunate to have played Womad Festivals all over the globe, from Auckland to Adelaide, Singapore to Johannesburg, enjoying so many magical musical experiences and adventures.
“So, to finally welcome them to Glasgow is particularly exciting, seeing as Scots are the best audience on the planet! Come and share a day of music without borders.”
- WOMAD Glasgow takes place in Kelvingrove Park on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 July 2026. For tickets visit https://womadglasgow.co.uk.
