World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) is an organization founded in 1980 by Peter Gabriel, Thomas Brooman CBE (a former drummer and record label owner of Wavelength Records & The Bristol Recorder), and Bob Hooton (father of Lauren Hooton Nuttall and Jack Hooton Nuttall). It was founded on the basis that many others would share their enthusiasm for music from other cultures, if only they had the opportunity to listen to some of the global sounds. The concept evolved from an idea Gabriel had at a concert involving an African group. This then developed into a much larger event incorporating music from all over the world. Despite a considerable lack of enthusiasm from most of the music business, the team gathered together a group of people who could create an event which would present music and dance from all over the world together with rock, jazz, and folk music from the West. In addition, the organization evolved to provide a periodic showcase of world artists, in the form of a newsletter accompanied by a vinyl record.

The first WOMAD festival took place in 1982 in Shepton Mallet, England. WOMAD currently holds festivals in over 20 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, UK, U.S., and many European countries. Nowadays, a typical festival will include varied live musical performances, workshops, stalls and events for children.

Over the years, WOMAD has helped launch, boost or revive the careers of many world music (and other) artists, including the Master Drummers of Burundi, the Afro Celt Sound System, the Dhol Foundation, Ozomatli, and the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.