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Greece is ready to take its music to the world securing its participation in one of the world’s biggest music events, WOMEX 2026, taking place in Las Palmas, Spain, from October 21 to 25.

The Greek delegation brings together artists and music professionals eager to see their music travel beyond the country’s borders. A big success for Greece this year is seeing two Greek acts: Kadinelia and Alkyone secure a spot in the official WOMEX showcase series performing in front of an international audience of industry professionals on October 24.

For more than three decades, WOMEX has served as a gateway to the international music market, connecting artists and industry professionals from across the world and creating opportunities for collaborations, touring, performances, and long-term professional relationships.

In the past few years, Greece has been taking dynamic steps to promote its music and creative talent. Leading the way is Music from Greece, the country’s official music export office, which is organizing and coordinating Greece’s participation at WOMEX for the fourth consecutive year, with the support of the Greek Culture Ministry.

In addition to the showcase events, Greece will have its own stand (D11–D12) – a dedicated space for meetings, introductions, and networking, and will also host gigs and happenings on the sidelines. Greece’s national stand will come alive on Saturday, October 24, with a special reception open to music professionals, festival organizers, culture representatives, media, and potential partners from around the world. Guests will also have the chance to sample Greek PDO delicacies.

Greece’s Music Being Heard

TO VIMA International Edition will be on the ground at WOMEX 2026 in Las Palmas, covering Greece’s participation. Ahead of the festival, we asked Music from Greece founder Angeliki Spyridaki what it will take for the global industry to genuinely pay attention to Greek music, and how the export office is working to make this happen.

“After four appearances at WOMEX and similar industry events, visibility alone is no longer enough. The challenge now is to turn that presence into genuine interest from the international music industry and, ultimately, into tangible results,” she tells TO VIMA International Edition.

That shift, she explains, requires more targeted action and careful preparation. Simply promoting Greek music as a broad category is no longer enough. The next step is curation and clear positioning; identifying where an artist or music business has the strongest potential, who they need to reach, and when the right moment is to make a move.

At the same time, Greece needs to communicate the breadth of its contemporary music scene through a narrative that is both consistent and recognizable; without trying to fit that diversity into a single notion of a “Greek sound,” she adds.

New Music Promotion Model

Earlier this year, Music from Greece was admitted to the European Music Exporters Exchange, the leading European network of music export organizations, by unanimous vote.

This is the new promotion model Music from Greece has been building. Earlier this year, Greek artists made a strong appearance at jazzahead in Bremen, Germany, another key meeting point for the international music industry. Spyridakis notes however that success is not only measured in appearances and showcase events. It’s what happens after.

“A contact only matters if it leads to something lasting; a booking, a tour, a deal, collaboration or a long-term relationship,” she says.

“Our goal is not only to increase the visibility of Greek music, but also to strengthen the export capacity of the Greek music sector.”

That ambition is being supported by Music from Greece’s membership in EMEE, which, Spyridaki explains, is helping the organization open doors to new markets and build connections beyond the traditional European music circuit. Recent missions toCanada and Dublin offer examples of this approach in practice. Rather than focusing solely on immediate opportunities, these initiatives provide Greek artists and music professionals access to new networks, expertise, and potential partners, relationships that can grow and develop over time, she explains.

Greek Acts Touch on Tradition

Music from Greece secured showcases for two promising acts this year: Kadinelia – aka Thanasis Zikas and Evi Seitanidou – who perform an intoxicating blend of Greek traditional song with traces of blues, rock, funk, and bluegrass. Named after a Cycladic falcon, the band also uses traditional instruments in their music, including the “tsambouna” (Aegean bagpipe), the Pontic lyre, and the “toumpaki” hand drum, among others.

The second performer is Edessa-born Alkyone, who breathes new life into  folk songs of northern Greece with her ethereal voice and indie folk feel.

Together, the two acts offer a glimpse into the range of contemporary Greek music and how a new generation of artists is reinterpreting traditional sounds for modern audiences. Their appearance comes at a moment when Greek traditional music is enjoying a strong resurgence. Traditional folk songs (“demotika”), and dances are finding new audiences, with a growing number of musicians and bands tapping into tradition and bringing it into the present.

WOMEX is one of the world’s leading international events for world, roots, and culturally diverse music. For more than three decades, it has given artists and music professionals from more than 100 countries the chance to discover new opportunities, share their work, and connect with international audiences.

Seeing Greece there is a remarkable achievement

Write to Maria Paravantes at mparavantes@tovima.com