Join our team
Thank you for your interest in becoming the next UK Festival Director for WOMAD.
This is a significant moment for WOMAD. As we approach almost half a century since the festival first began, we find ourselves looking ahead to one of the most exciting and important periods in our history.
For more than 44 years, WOMAD has brought together artists, audiences and cultures from across the world. What began as an ambitious, if slightly crazy, idea has grown into one of the world’s most respected music and cultural festivals, presenting artists from around 150 countries and welcoming hundreds of thousands of people through our gates. Yet our purpose remains remarkably simple. We believe that great music, art, food, ideas and shared experiences have the power to bring people together, open minds and remind us of what we have in common.
Based in Wiltshire, WOMAD has always been more than a festival. It was founded on the belief that celebration can be a powerful response to division. In a world that can often feel increasingly fragmented, that belief feels just as relevant today as it did when the first WOMAD took place in 1982. For four days each summer, we create a space where people can step outside their everyday lives and immerse themselves in the best music, food and culture the world has to offer. It may only last a weekend, but many of those who join us would say it feels like spending time in a better version of the world.
Read more
The opportunity before us is considerable. Following a period of challenge for both WOMAD and the wider festival sector, we are entering a new chapter. A new site gives us the chance to rethink, refresh and reimagine what WOMAD can be, while remaining true to everything that has made it special for generations. We are focused on securing the festival’s long-term sustainability, attracting new audiences, developing our programme and ensuring that WOMAD continues to thrive for decades to come.
The UK Festival Director will play a pivotal role in shaping that future. This is a rare opportunity to lead a globally recognised cultural brand at a time of transformation. You will inherit an exceptionally dedicated team, an audience whose loyalty is almost unrivalled, and a festival with an extraordinary reputation and legacy. Your challenge will be to balance innovation with stewardship, bringing fresh ideas and new energy while respecting the values and spirit that have always defined WOMAD.
We are looking for an inspiring and commercially astute leader who can navigate complexity, build confidence and create clarity. You will combine strategic thinking with practical delivery, understand the realities of today’s festival market and, above all, share our belief in the power of culture to connect people and enrich lives.
This is not simply an opportunity to run a successful festival. It is a chance to help shape one of the UK’s most distinctive cultural events, building on more than four decades of history while creating something meaningful for a new generation.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about WOMAD and this opportunity. I hope you are inspired by our purpose, our people and the possibilities that lie ahead, and I look forward to hearing from those who wish to lead WOMAD into its next chapter.
Kind regards,
Mike Large
Group COO, Real World Group
Mike Large
Group COO, Real World Group