In October 2013, Wales welcomed WOMEX, the world’s biggest trade event for world/folk/roots and traditional music. This annual five-day event includes a bustling Trade Fair, Showcase Festival, Conference, and Film programme, with around 60 concerts featuring 300 plus artists, some 650 companies from over 90 countries exhibiting in the trade fair, and more than 400 national and international journalists. In 2019, WOMEX landed in Tampere, Finland and the year before, Gran Canaria in the Canary Isles.

WOMEX is unique. It is the gathering point for the World Music Industry and is attended by people from every country in the world. People attend to sort out gigs, tours, deals, publicity, contracts and more. Musicians, agents, promoters, publicists, journalists, film-makers, managers and more meet, talk and make plans.

Trac Cymru is part of a wider partnership called Horizons. For 10 years, the Horizons partners have joined together at WOMEX to ensure our grassroots musicians reach wider audiences by providing advice, funding, showcasing opportunities and assistance at the event. The Horizons partnership celebrates the diverse music that comes from England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland/Alba and Cymru/Wales – helping talented artists gain international recognition on the world stage. Over the years, we’ve supported Welsh artists such as Alaw and 9Bach as they’ve showcased to the world, and developed  significant partnerships with music organisations as far afield as Brittany and New Zealand.

More information on WOMEX is available at www.cerddcymru.co.uk and www.womex.com