WOMAD NZ Wins ‘Best National Event of the Year’

WOMAD NZ wins ‘Best National Event of the Year’ at the 2017 New Zealand Event Awards.

On the win of the prestigious ‘Best National Event of the Year’, TAFT Chief Executive, Suzanne Porter, says “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” .

TAFT Board of Trustees chair, Charles Wilkinson added "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 can exceed to take our Festival to an even greater level."

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’ and the the public voted‘Eventfinda / New Zealand’s Favourite Event of the Year’. WOMAD NZ’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Cleopatra Wood, was named as a finalist in the‘Emerging Event Professional’ category. Suzanne Porter says of this nomination “We are incredibly proud of our marketing manager, Cleopatra Wood, for her nomination. The calibre of finalists is a true testament to her great achievements working on WOMAD”.

The full WOMAD NZ 2018 festival line up is being announced in Wellington on the night ofWednesday October 18th. Previously announced 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 bandDRAGON 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

ENDS

Notes

TAFT (Taranaki Arts Festival Trust) is a charitable trust that has been enriching our people since 1991.

The trust was formed in the early 1990s to present a biennial arts festival. The Taranaki Arts Festival was an instant hit and has gone on to become the longest running regional arts festival in New Zealand.

The three-week event continually features some of the hottest award-winning acts from throughout the globe, as well as showcasing the best talent New Zealand has to offer.

In 2002 TAFT took over the Powerco Taranaki Garden Festival (formerly known as the Rhododendron Festival).

This festival was started in 1988 and today features more than 45 Taranaki gardens and attracts more than 2000 people to the region each spring.

In the same year TAFT was successful in securing the rights to present WOMAD in Taranaki.

WOMAD NZ was presented in Taranaki biennially from 2003 to 2007, before its continued success led to it becoming an annual event.

Today the popular festival has a loyal and passionate following nationwide, enjoys an extensive partnership base, and is approaching its 14th presentation in New Zealand.

https://www.taft.co.nz/

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