WOMAD NZ has been named the ‘Best National Event of the Year’ at the prestigious 2017 New Zealand Event Awards.
On the win of the distinguished ‘Best National Event of the Year’, TAFT Chief Executive, Suzanne Porter, said “This is
an award that recognises Taranaki, our partnerships and our loyal WOMAD audience as much as the festival. We thank our
WOMADers and partners for their support and look forward to celebrating with them at the 2018 festival”
WOMAD NZ were finalists for THREE national awards in this year’s 2017 New Zealand Event Awards presented last night at a
gala ceremony at Sky City in Auckland. They received nominations for ‘Best National Event of the Year’; the ‘People’s
Choice Best National Event of the Year’ and WOMAD NZ’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Cleopatra Wood, was named
as a finalist in the ‘Emerging Event Professional’ category. Suzanne Porter said of Cleopatra’s nomination “We are
incredibly proud of Cleopatra for her nomination, the calibre of her category finalists and their achievements are a
testament to her efforts and bright future.”
"This award brings together a culmination of years of expertise, dedication and professionalism that's been given to
this festival by our most wonderful staff. I congratulate Suzanne Porter our CEO and her dedicated crew for what they
have so deservedly achieved at these national awards, I am so proud of them, as is my board and I am so excited that we
now have a line that we much exceed to take our Festival to an even greater level." says Charles wilkinson, WOMAD Chair.
The full WOMAD NZ 2018 festival line up was announced in Wellington on the night of Wednesday October 18th. Artists for
the 2018 festival include Los Angeles saxophonist, composer and jazz superstar KAMASI WASHINGTON, the Indian classical
and progressive sitar virtuoso ANOUSHKA SHANKAR and classic Kiwi band DRAGON who will be joined by many more exciting
and eclectic artists from across the globe.
The internationally established three day festival brings together international artists to celebrate the world’s many
forms of music, arts and dance. Set in the stunning 55-acre Brooklands Park and TSB Bowl of Brooklands, New Plymouth,
WOMAD NZ has rightfully gained a reputation as one of the most beautiful outdoor festivals in the world.
The main stage is set at the base of a natural amphitheatre and not only provides a stunning setting, but an acoustic
experience second to none. The other three stages are located throughout Brooklands Park, with every square inch oozing
the vibrancy of the family friendly WOMAD.
Since the first festival in the UK in 1982, founded by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Brooman, WOMAD has held more than 160
festivals worldwide with 2018 seeing the festival celebrate its 14th anniversary in New Plymouth. In its tenure, WOMAD
has had 150,000 visitors through its gates and generated over 100 million dollars for the local Taranaki economy.
As an organisation, WOMAD now works in many different ways, but their aims are always the same - at festivals,
performance events, through recorded releases and through educational projects, they aim to excite, inform and create
awareness of the worth and potential of a multicultural society.
WOMAD New Zealand 2018 is on at Brooklands Park, New Plymouth, from March 16 to 18. Tickets on sale from womad.co.nz