THE first-ever WOMAD festival in Scotland has been cancelled.
Organisers of the event – which was set to host an international music, arts and dance festival celebrating cultural expression from around the globe – made the announcement on Tuesday night.
Competitive festival market combined with low ticket sales meant it was no longer viable to host the festival in Glasgow, they said, adding that it was "a difficult decision and one that has not been taken lightly".
The event was set to take place on July 3 and 4.
Homegrown talent like Peat & Diesel, Talisk, Shooglenifty and Kim Carnie were to sit alongside international artists spanning continents, traditions and styles, including Malian guitar virtuoso Vieux Farka Touré, Ghanaian innovator King Ayisoba, Gambian kora player Suntou Susso and Indian folk-rock star Raghu Dixit.
Affected customers are to receive a full refund and access to discounted tickets for WOMAD in Neston Park, in North Wiltshire, from July 23 to 26.
In a statement, Glasgow Life said: "We are deeply disappointed to confirm that WOMAD Glasgow, scheduled to take place in Kelvingrove Park on 3 and 4 July, will no longer go ahead.
"This has been a difficult decision and one that has not been taken lightly.
"Since announcing the event, Glasgow Life and WOMAD have worked together to bring the world-renowned festival to Scotland for the first time.
"WOMAD Glasgow was an ambitious first edition of a globally respected festival. While audience response to the programme and the vision for the event was extremely positive, ticket sales did not reach the level required to deliver the festival sustainably in its inaugural year. This reflects the challenge of launching a new large-scale event in a competitive and crowded market at this time.
"We know this news will be hugely disappointing, particularly for those who have already purchased tickets, and we sincerely apologise for that. We would also like to thank the many artists, contractors, suppliers, partners and stakeholders who have supported plans for the event over recent months."
Founded in 1982 by Peter Gabriel and other like-minded musicians, the festival has become a global phenomenon, staged in countries across the world from Spain to Chile, New Zealand and Australia.
The acronym stands for World Of Music, Arts And Dance, and audiences had been encouraged to reject the influence of algorithms that suggest what they should listen to and embrace the unexpected.
