Taranaki music festival WOMAD will not run next year as organisers take a “purposeful rest” in 2026.
The three-day festival, featuring local and international artists, had been a mainstay at New Plymouth’s Brooklands Park since 2003.
Taranaki Arts Festival Trust, who organised the event, said the “incredibly tough decision” not to host the festival followed “much reflection and many thoughtful kōrero”.
“Rising costs and shifting conditions mean that pressing pause for one year is the most responsible step we can take to protect the future of WOMAD Aotearoa, and ensure it continues to be the exceptional festival you know and love,” it said in a statement.
Taranaki Arts Festival Trust chief executive Suzanne Porter said the festival had always been about “connection, celebration, and cultural discovery”.
“Choosing to pause in 2026 wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s a step we believe is necessary to protect WOMAD’s future and give us the best chance to continue delivering the exceptional, world-class event our community knows and loves.”
Since its 2003 launch, WOMAD had generated around $190 million in economic benefit to the Taranaki region.
“This long-term contribution underlines the festival’s importance not only as a cultural celebration, but as a driver of regional growth and vitality,’ the statement continued.
