A major highlight of WOMEX 24 will be the specially commissioned Italian Pavilion, ITALY AT WOMEX. Presented by the Italian Trade Agency, the Italian Pavilion has six Partners: Assomusica, Emilia-Romagna Music Commission, Italia Music Export, Italian World Beat, Puglia Sounds and Italian World Music, as well as over 40 participants representing all areas of the Italian music industry.
An additional integral element of ITALY AT WOMEX is two live performances showcasing Godblesscomputers, and Justin Adams and Mauro Durante.
The Italian music industry is a crucial part of the wider Italian culture sector which in 2023 contributed 255 billion euros to the country’s economy and employs more than 1.5 million people. A report from KPMG in 2012 found that ‘Made in Italy’ is the third most recognised brand after Coca Cola and Visa.
Within the Italian cultural sector, the music industry is one of the most dynamic and fast-growing: in 2023 there were 23.7 million attendees at live music events, a 13.6% increase on 2022 and a near doubling of its 2019 figures. A report in 2023 from Siae (the Italian equivalent of the UK’s PRS) found that there had been an increase of 15% of musical events presented compared to the previous year, with a combined audience of 265 million people, a 30% increase on the previous year. It also found that there were over 116,000 venues dedicated to live entertainment in Italy, 14% more than the previous year.
Giovanni Sacchi, Director of the Italian Trade Agency in London, said:
“The Italian Trade Agency office in London, as the promotional arm of the Italian Embassy, aims to highlight the rich diversity and exceptional quality of Made in Italy across sectors including music and entertainment. The United Kingdom is a key player in the international music scene, making WOMEX 2024 an excellent opportunity for visitors to explore Italy’s offerings. The UK is a vibrant market for the global music industry considering the role it plays both as an international stage for artists and the home of iconic recording studios and recording companies. It is also the home of some of the most world-class catalysts such as Glastonbury. The importance of the UK market and, therefore, the Italian representation at Womex 2024 is further supported by the latest market data according to which live performances in the UK have reached an all-time high in 2023 in terms of turnout, with a whopping 37 million people. Moreover, the revenues from musical recordings recorded an increase of 8.1% between 2022 and 2023 reaching £1.43 billion.”
WOMEX, Worldwide Music Expo, is the most international and culturally diverse music meeting in the world and the biggest conference of the global music scene, featuring a trade fair, talks, films and showcase concerts.