Wrap-up: Folk Canada at WOMEX 2026

WOMEX 2026 brought the global music community to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Canada showed up in force — more than 80 Canadian delegates made the trip, joining artists, agents, presenters and labels from around the world for five days of showcases, meetings and conversations that will shape the year ahead.

Folk Canada was proud to be there as part of the Northern Turtle Island Collective (NTI), alongside our partners Mundial Montréal, Small World Music, FolQuébec and Sunfest. Together, NTI returned to WOMEX with one goal: to build bridges between Canada, Québec and the global music industry. Here's how the week unfolded.

Tuesday: B2BBQ & Showcases at Alboroto

We kicked things off on Tuesday, October 20 with the NTI B2BBQ & Showcases at Alboroto in the heart of Las Palmas. Good food, great company and a stellar lineup set the tone for the week, with performances from Bel and Quinn, Wesli, Dystoh and Tara Moneka. It was the perfect way to welcome Canadian and international delegates and get the conversations flowing before the conference officially got underway.

Wednesday: The B2B Grand Canadia Tour

On Wednesday, we took the meetings on the road. Folk Canada and NTI hosted a delegation of 25 Canadian companies and 25 international guests for our B2B Grand Canadia tour of the island. Speed meetings on a moving bus turned out to be one of the most energizing (and memorable) formats of the week — new connections made between switchbacks and ocean views — followed by a relaxed networking lunch where those first conversations had time to deepen.

Thursday: Welcome Breakfast & Canadian Cocktail 1

Thursday morning opened with our Canadian Welcome Breakfast, bringing the delegation together to compare notes, share plans and make sure everyone knew who was in the room. By 4:30 pm we were raising a glass at the first of three Canadian Cocktails, opening our doors to friends old and new from across the international scene.

Friday: Off-WOMEX Showcases & an Official Selection

Friday was a big one. We hosted Canadian Cocktail 2, and the NTI Collective presented two off-WOMEX showcases featuring Ahmed Moneka and La Déferlance — both of whom brought the house down.

We were also thrilled to celebrate Diyet and the Love Soldiers, this year's only Canadian artist selected for an official WOMEX showcase. It was a proud moment for the whole delegation, and a reminder of the extraordinary depth of talent coming out of this country.

Saturday: One Last Kitchen Party

We closed out the week with our third and final Canadian Cocktail, and it turned into a true Canadian kitchen party, with music from La Déferlance and Mélisande filling the alley. There's no better way to say goodbye (for now) than with a good spin!

We met so many amazing folks over the course of the week, and we're coming home with full notebooks and fuller hearts. Most of all, we're so proud of the astonishing talent coming out of Canada, and of the artists and companies who represented our community with such generosity and spirit.

Thank you to FACTOR, the Government of Canada, our NTI partners Mundial Montréal, Small World Music, FolQuébec and Sunfest; to each Canadian delegate who made the journey; to the artists who shared their music with the world; and to the WOMEX team and the people of Gran Canaria for an unforgettable week.

See you next year!

— The Folk Canada Team