WOMAD acts announced

New artists for this years WOMAD festival line-up have just been announced by the organisers.

Peter Gabriel's World of Music, Arts & Dance is taking place at Charlton Park, near Malmesbury on 27 to 29 July this year.

It will feature over 70 world-class artists from 40 countries performing over three days. The full line-up so far is as follows, with many more acts due to be announced over the coming months: Baaba Maal (Senegal), Balkan Beat Box (Israel/USA), Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba (Mali), Ben Taylor (USA), Bill Cobham (USA), Candi Staton (USA), Cesaria Evora (Cape Verde), CJ Chenier (USA), Daara J (Senegal), DJ Shantel (Germany), El Tanbura (Egypt), Imagined Village (UK), Kronos Quartet (USA), Kung Nei & Ouch Savy (Cambodia), Lila Downs (Mexico), Mariza (Portugal), Marzoug (Algeria), Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga (Kenya/Democratic Republic of Congo), Sam Tshabalala (South Africa), Serta-Gesar Troupe (Tibet), Sheila Chandra (UK), Steel Pulse (UK), The Dhol Foundation (UK), Toots and the Maytals (Jamaica), Toumast (Niger), Warsaw Village Band (Poland).

Tickets for the event are already selling very well, and WOMAD is pleased to announce some details on how to get discounted tickets. Previously available until the end of January, our 'Early Bird' offer is now open until Wednesday 28 February. During this period, a Weekend ticket will cost £110 before the price rises to £120 from 1 March onwards.

We are also offering discounted Weekend tickets to residents local to Charlton Park, who live within the SN16 postcode area. These limited-availability tickets are priced at £50 and are being sold on a first come, first served basis. Set in a picturesque rural landscape in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside, Charlton Park is the new home for the WOMAD Festival in our 25th anniversary year. This beautiful location presents an opportunity to experience the festival in a truly green, pleasant and spacious environment.

Charlton Park is situated just outside the historic abbey town of Malmesbury in North Wiltshire. Easily accessible by road and rail, the festival site is just seven miles from Junction 17 of the M4, only one hundred miles due west of London, and less than thirty miles away from Bath, Bristol and Swindon. WOMAD Charlton Park will welcome an audience of 20,000 and will feature seven stages and workshop areas, including a children's village, many more activities and festival features, all in the idyllic environment of Charlton's open lawns and rolling fields.

Alongside the new attractions of Charlton Park, WOMAD's familiar feast of entertainment and celebration will remain: brilliant live music; weekend camping; a full programme of participatory workshops for adults and children; Taste The World sessions; late night dance, DJ's and grooves at Club WOMAD; relaxed entertainment on Thursday evening; a children's procession on Sunday; a chance to 'shop around the world' at over 250 international food, drink, arts, craft and merchandise stalls in our Global Village; sumptuous site decoration featuring hundreds of flags, projections, visual art and temporary structures; plus the unrivalled atmosphere that our audience simply loves.

TICKET DETAILS Weekend ticket: £110 ('Early Bird' price - previously available until 31 January, now available until 28 February) Weekend ticket: £120 (Standard price - available from 1 March) SN16 Weekend ticket: £50 (to residents of SN16 postcode area, limited availability) Thursday Camping ticket: £10 (Allows access to festival site from 26 July) All Weekend tickets include free camping from Friday - Monday.

Concessions available.

Families are entitled to savings as two children aged 13 and under can come free with each adult ticket buyer.

BOOK BY PHONE OR FAX (from 12 Feb) Tel: 0845 146 1735 Lines open Monday-Friday from 10am-6pm for credit/debit card bookings Fax bookings: 0870 720 2128

3:01pm Tuesday 6th February 2007

By Benjamin Parkes