The programme ‘La Alpispa’ from La Radio Canaria will immerse itself in WOMEX 2026 Gran Canaria on Friday, 23 October, from 11:00 to 13:00. This major professional gathering for world music is taking place in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria until Sunday, 25 October.
Hosted by Mercedes Martín and Eugenio González, the special edition of the show aims to provide insights into the key figures attending this international event, which gathers over 2,500 professionals from around 90 countries for five days of networking and collaboration.
Throughout the programme, ‘La Alpispa’ will engage with artists and industry professionals to explore the diverse musical offerings arriving in Gran Canaria from various corners of the globe. Among the guests will be Miroca Paris, a Cape Verdean musician who accompanied Cesária Évora for eleven years and has shared the stage with international artists such as Sara Tavares, Cuca Roseta, and Madonna.
The show will also feature Braulio Pérez, coordinator of the Canarias Suena project, and Cristóbal de la Rosa, the General Director of Cultural Innovation and Creative Industries for the Government of the Canary Islands, who will discuss the opportunities presented by WOMEX for the music sector in the archipelago.
International festivals will be highlighted in a roundtable discussion with Javier Devia from Colombia's Festival Fiura, Alfredo Casaj from Canada’s SulFest, and Vitor Bello from Galicia’s Festival Omaré, who will analyse the unique aspects of these festivals.
To delve deeper into WOMEX’s objectives and history, the programme will interview Antón Martín, the executive producer of WOMEX 2026 Gran Canaria, and Frank Kalffs, the executive director of WOMEX International. Additionally, cultural promoter Tina Wroblewski, based in Canada, will discuss the collaborative networks among music professionals from different continents and the opportunities that events like WOMEX create for new projects.
The special edition will conclude with a musical interview featuring Antonio Morales, the president of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, who will share some of his favourite songs and reveal what music features in his playlist. The programme will also include a selection of music that allows listeners to experience the sounds of various countries and discover some of the artists and music that are part of WOMEX 2026.
WOMEX – Worldwide Music Expo – is an international music event that includes a trade fair, talks, films, and showcase concerts. Each October, over 2,000 professionals, including 280 artists, gather from 90 countries in this itinerant event aimed at boosting the global music industry and fostering project exchanges and collaboration opportunities. In addition to its professional aspect, WOMEX offers a wide programme open to the public, featuring 50 concerts, conferences, panel discussions, and screenings across various venues in the city.
