WOMAD brings together artists from around the world
3 February 2026
WOMAD Glasgow tickets set to go on sale
Tickets are set to go on sale for a global music, arts and dance festival which is coming to Glasgow for the first time.
The first-ever WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) in Scotland will bring international artists to Kelvingrove Park for a celebration of cultural expression from around the globe on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 July 2026.
WOMAD Glasgow will feature a packed programme of stars and emerging talent who will deliver a range of global music including pop, dance, folk, jazz, hip-hop and more across three stages.
Festivalgoers can also look forward to free workshops led by musicians and dancers from around the world and gain an insight into the artists’ heritage while watching them cook exotic food. There will also be opportunities to enjoy wellness sessions and learn about new cultures through a series of insightful World of Words talks.
WOMAD will be brought to Glasgow by WOMAD International in partnership with Glasgow Life – the charity which delivers culture, events and active living in Glasgow – and Celtic Connections, Glasgow’s annual folk, roots and world music festival which will help to programme the event. Celtic Connections enjoyed a record-breaking 2026 festival, which recorded more than 114,000 attendances and sold the highest ever number of tickets in the event’s 33-year history, as over 1,600 artists performed in more than 300 shows across 25 venues in Glasgow.
Global music, arts and dance festival coming to Glasgow
Pop, dance, folk, jazz and hip-hop musicians are coming to Glasgow in July 2026 for Scotland's first-ever WOMAD Festival
WOMAD has taken place in 30 countries over the past three decades
WOMAD Glasgow tickets will go on general sale on the WOMAD Glasgow - A World of Music and Dance webpage from 10am on Friday 6 February 2026. Further information is available on the festival’s website.
The WOMAD Glasgow line-up will be revealed closer to the event via the festival’s Facebook and Instagram channels and website.
WOMAD first took place in 1982, when former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel and a group of like-minded and musically curious Bristolians put on the original festival in Shepton Mallet, Somerset.
Today, WOMAD is a global phenomenon. Over the past three decades, the festival has taken place in 30 countries, with events held in Fuerteventura and Cáceres in Spain, Santiago in Chile and Taranaki, New Zealand, among others. There is also an annual Australian version called WOMADelaide.
Some of the headline acts who have performed at WOMAD festivals over the years include Peter Gabriel himself, Glasgow’s own Simple Minds, Australian and New Zealand rock band Crowded House, American R&B and soul singer Macy Gray, rap group De La Soul and English rock outfit Echo and the Bunnymen.
Billy Garrett, Director of Culture, Tourism and Events at Glasgow Life, said: “Glasgow is famed the world over as a hotspot of culture with a vibrant and diverse live music scene, and WOMAD’s decision to bring its internationally renowned festival to our city is a shining example of this. Music lovers will have a historic opportunity when tickets go on sale to be among the crowds at the first-ever WOMAD Glasgow event, which promises two days of thrilling musical and artistic entertainment from all across the globe.”
Chris Smith, Director of WOMAD, said: “We are so excited about WOMAD’s first visit to Scotland and to Glasgow – a festival and a city that fit hand in glove; a match that lives and breathes culture, music and creativity together.
“WOMAD not only offers Glasgow a rich heritage of music from around the world, but it also brings with it passion; a merging of musicians and festivalgoers in a celebration of song, dance, and creativity. It’s about community – a strong beating heart that reminds us of the joy and connection that can be found through music and the arts, regardless of race or place; one that feels all the more essential in today’s world. See you in July!”