Melbourne takes centre stage again with the announcement of the inaugural Australasian World Music Expo to be held at the Victorian Arts Centre from 20-23 November 2008. This unique event will bring together musicians, industry representatives and festival audiences from across Australia and around the globe for three days of the finest Indigenous and world music from the Australasian and Pacific regions.

From solo to collaborative, traditional to contemporary, from the lush highlands of West Papua through to the vast arid deserts of Australia and its major cities, our region is home to some of the most unique cultures, voices and sounds this planet has to offer. Audiences will experience first hand the region’s finest talents at Melbourne’s Arts Centre and The Famous Spiegeltent.

Showcase performances each evening will give artists enviable exposure to potential talent buyers, and introduce delegates to the wealth of indigenous and world music at Australia’s doorstep.

Australian music and arts industry professionals will also have a rare opportunity to foster relationships with international delegates representing festivals, booking agents, presenters and media as part of the Expo’s conference program and networking sessions. Major sponsors for the Australasian World Music Expo include the Australia Council for the Arts, Arts Victoria, APRA, the Arts Centre and the City of Melbourne.

The full program for the Australasian World Music Expo will be announced shortly and registrations will open online in early August.