For the second consecutive year, Croatia’s music scene was represented at WOMEX (Worldwide Music Expo), one of the world’s leading gatherings for world music professionals. This year’s edition took place in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, attracting strong interest in the Croatian stand, its artists and SHIP Festival.
Croatian Stand Once Again a Meeting Point for International Music Professionals
Following last year’s edition in Tampere, Finland, where Croatia returned with its own exhibition stand after nearly two decades, We Move Music Croatia continued its efforts to introduce the Croatian music scene to international industry professionals. Joining the WMMC delegation were Emir Fulurija, music journalist and concert promoter, Igor Ilić, manager of Tamara Obrovac, and Jana Obradović, producer of the documentary Croatia in Dub.
The Croatian stand welcomed numerous festival organisers, concert promoters, booking agents, record labels and radio programmers. A specially prepared Outethnic Croatia booklet featured around 50 Croatian artists, festival organisers and record labels, accompanied by a promotional CD compilation featuring approximately 20 Croatian artists. All promotional materials were distributed during the event, with international radio programmers showing particular interest in the compilation.
Meetings and informal conversations provided opportunities to introduce Croatian artists to international festival organisers, promoters and booking agents, while also exploring the possibility of bringing international acts to Croatia. WOMEX also offered a chance to reconnect with contacts established at previous international music industry events.
SHIP 2027 Draws Attention with a Basketball Challenge
SHIP Showcase Festival & Music Conference also attracted strong interest. Many visitors to the Croatian stand were already familiar with the Šibenik-based festival, while conversations with prospective delegates, speakers and partners focused on its next edition, scheduled for 9–12 September 2027.
This year, basketball also played a part in promoting SHIP. On the final day of the WOMEX trade fair, the Croatian stand hosted an informal shooting challenge, giving participants the chance to win a SHIP Pro Pass for 2027. Around 30 passes were awarded, and the activity attracted so much attention that WMMC’s basketball initiative even received a mention during the WOMEX closing ceremony.
UPBEAT Connections and Croatia in Dub at WOMEX
The Croatian delegation also attended a reception hosted by UPBEAT, a European project of which SHIP is a partner festival. The gathering provided an opportunity to meet representatives of partner organisations, discuss the project’s future and connect with new artists and music professionals.
The official WOMEX film programme also featured the Croatian documentary Croatia in Dub, exploring the meeting of centuries-old Croatian traditional music and contemporary electronic sounds. Although no Croatian artists performed in this year’s official showcase programme, the screening offered another opportunity to introduce audiences to the country’s diverse musical landscape.
Croatia’s second consecutive appearance with its own stand highlighted continued international interest in its music scene. Alongside new connections and ongoing partnerships, WOMEX once again provided a platform to promote Croatian artists, festivals and record labels, and explore new opportunities for their presence in international markets.