Call for proposals: World Music Expo (WOMEX)

Musicians, DJs, speakers and film-makers worldwide are encouraged to apply to a jury comprised of seven international experts. As booking cycles tend to happen earlier in the industry, the call is due earlier than usual. The deadline to make a proposal is Friday, 17 March 2017.

Proposals can exclusively be made through the new online booking system here.

“Let's get the ball rolling!” a statement from WOMEX director reads, “Every year the call for proposals marks the first major step of the WOMEX year: it is time to shape the content of the event! And like every year, we are looking forward to receiving a diverse pool of conference, showcase and film proposals from our community.”

The Jury

The jury will select from the many proposals to form a programme that reflects the broad range of music across the world, ranging from the very traditional to the very modern (and all juxtapositions in between), across all continents and across all styles, shapes and sizes in which music manifests on the world’s stages today.

The seven global music experts comprising the jury are by tradition called the “7 Samurai”. Five of them will go through hundreds of showcase and DJ proposals and two will deal with a wide range of conference proposals, amongst them Kaisha S. Johnson, Founding Director of Women of Color in the Arts (WOCA).

Johnson expressed excitement to be amongst the 7 Samurai: “With such a long history of practical, provocative and engaging professional development sessions, WOMEX has always been at the nexus of art and ideas. As a believer that world music, in particular, has the ability to provoke authentic dialogues around social and political issues, and initiate shifts to the status quo, I’m honoured to be selected to serve as a WOMEX Conference Samurai and have WOCA contribute to a growing global dialogue."

WOMEX is known for its broad range and high quality of upcoming and sky-rocketing bands and solo artists. The project constantly seeks to push its boundaries and invites jazz, popular and dance music circles as well as political and NGO scenes to engage with its community in October in Katowice.  The jury selections will be announced throughout spring and summer together with additional programme.

WOMEX is an important meeting and marketplace where musicians, DJs, filmmakers and other important stake holders meet. Each year, the WOMEX Showcase, Film and Conference programme is created based on an annual call for proposals inviting members of the international music community to submit applications.

For more information, please click here. For more information about each of this year's 7 Samurai, see the Jury page on the WOMEX website and this press photos folder.