WOMAD Beyond will again provide the perfect prelude to the year’s most awaited festival of music and arts as 11 international artists and groups conduct a series of pre-event workshops in 27 schools and universities across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

Workshops will be running from March 27 to April 7 offering young people an exclusive opportunity to meet and work with the artists and experience first hand the world of music, arts and dance that WOMAD is bringing to Abu Dhabi in 2011.

More than 2,000 students will be taking part in the workshops lead by internationally renowned artists introducing the richness and diversity of cultural traditions and contemporary developments in music and arts.

WOMAD Abu Dhabi 2011 will be held in two venues: at the Abu Dhabi Corniche from April 7 to 9, and at the Al Jahili Fort in Al Ain from April 7 to 8. The event is presented by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) in collaboration with WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) in the UK.

Abdullah Al Amri, Director of Arts and Culture Department at ADACH, said: "WOMAD Beyond is one of the key elements that make WOMAD Abu Dhabi an important tool in our continuing thrust to promote the arts and culture in our society. It is the perfect example of the concept of edutainment, which is a powerful combination of entertainment and education towards achieving the strategic goals of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage."

Chris Smith, WOMAD Director, said: "We will be reaching out to more schools and universities this year. This is a very inspiring development that underlines the growing interest and enthusiasm towards WOMAD Beyond. With a fantastic range of workshops that include Reggae, dance from Jamaica, India and Egypt, an introduction to instruments from around the world and murals from South Africa, this year’s WOMAD Beyond programme is bound to be an enriching and enlightening experience for students and teachers alike."

Artists coming to Abu Dhabi for WOMAD Beyond are
David Cox (UK),
The Dhol Foundation (India/UK),
El Tanbura (Egypt),
N’Faly Kouyaté with Mady Kouyaté (Guinea),
Muntu Valdo (Cameroon),
Ripton Lindsay (Jamaica)
Malarky (UK).
Ndebele mural artists Angelina Ndimande and Marry-Ann Mbonwayini Tjale (South Africa),

The WOMAD Beyond workshop leaders will also be among dozens of performing artists who will showcase their talents and creations at the WOMAD Abu Dhabi 2011 festival. A number of artists will get the chance to show off their culinary credentials at the ever popular Taste the World stage, which is one of the key attractions of WOMAD Abu Dhabi 2011. Artists will be cooking a favourite dish from their country of origin with spontaneous musical interludes and opportunities for the audience to ask questions as well as sampling the featured dishes.

WOMAD held its first festival in the UK in 1982 and has since organized more than 170 festivals in over twenty-seven countries. The festivals are a unique celebration of world culture not just offering music, but also art, dance, food and fun. More than two thousand international artists have performed to a live audience of over 1 million festival goers at different WOMAD events

ADACH is the government institution that is in charge of looking after, conserving and promoting the heritage and culture of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Established through an Emiri decree in 2005, ADACH’s main aim is to achieve an integrated approach to the promotion and enhancement of culture and heritage.
 

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