Can I just turn up and buy a ticket?

Not for the trade fair, conference, films and award ceremony: the womex.com FAQ says single day tickets are not available and access is reserved for registered delegates. For evening concerts and films a limited public allocation is announced, with no price and no date.

What do I actually pay?

Until 16 October, 410 euros net, which is 422.30 euros with 3 per cent IGIC, credit card only. On site from 21 to 24 October, 430 euros net, which is 442.90 euros.

Are there cheaper categories?

According to the pricing page yes: students with credentials 170 euros, media with press credentials 310 and later 320 euros, from the third person of one company 370 or 390 euros. WOMEX asks for credentials by email in advance.

What does a trade fair stand cost?

890 euros for 2 × 3 metres, with no person registration included. On top come 7 per cent IGIC or 19 per cent VAT — at 7 per cent that is 952.30 euros.

When does Canarias Suena close?

Wednesday 30 September 2026 at 12:00 through canariassuena.com. Up to 50 Canary projects receive, according to the government portal, a WOMEX accreditation and a space for meetings and interviews.

CANARY ISLANDS · EVENTS

410 euros for five days of WOMEX in Las Palmas: the expo sells no day passes

The world music expo WOMEX comes to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria from 21 to 25 October 2026, with the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus among its main venues. Anyone planning to go buys no concert ticket but a professional accreditation: 410 euros until 16 October, then 430 euros on site — both net, with 3 per cent IGIC on top. WOMEX says day passes do not exist. For the evening showcases and the films the organiser announces a limited allocation of public tickets, but as of 27 September has published neither a price nor a sale date for them.

27 September 2026 · By Lucía Medina Reyes · 5 min. · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief

Playa de las Canteras in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (illustrative)

Photo: Nicolas Vigier, CC0 (illustrative image).

The key facts

Dates and venues: 21 to 25 October 2026. According to the „Location & Venues“ page on womex.com, the conference, films and award ceremony are at the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, the trade fair on Plaza Jerónimo Saavedra, stages in the Sala Gabriel Rodó and on Plaza del Espigón.
Price: Sprint Rate 410 euros until 16 October, credit card only; Walk-up Rate 430 euros from 21 to 24 October — pricing page womex.com/take_part/register, accessed 27 September 2026.
IGIC is added: „All prices are net prices, 3% local consumer tax IGIC to be added“, the page states. That turns 410 euros into 422.30 euros and 430 euros into 442.90 euros.
Reduced rates: students 170 euros, media with press credentials 310 and later 320 euros, from the third person of one company 370 or 390 euros, a 2 × 3 metre stand 890 euros — on stands with 7 per cent IGIC or 19 per cent VAT.
No day pass: „Single day tickets are not available“, says the womex.com FAQ. Children under 12 attend free according to the same page, and 12- to 17-year-olds at the student rate.

What the accreditation really costs

WOMEX works with rate bands that end when payment is received, not when the form is sent. The current band, the Sprint Rate, appears in the table at 410 euros per person until 16 October and is marked „Credit card only“; anyone registering on site pays 430 euros between 21 and 24 October. All deadlines expire at midnight Central European Time according to WOMEX — 23:00 local time in the Canaries. The footnote is what matters: these are net prices, with 3 per cent IGIC to be added. So 422.30 euros leaves the card, or 442.90 euros at the walk-up band.

No day passes — but apparently an allocation for the evenings

The most common mistaken assumption is settled in one place in the WOMEX FAQ. It states that single day tickets are not available, and that the trade fair, conference, films, opening and award ceremony are reserved for registered delegates. At the same time WOMEX writes that anyone who is not a delegate, or wants to bring someone who is not, can buy public tickets „from the limited number of tickets available for the general public including nighttime concerts and films“ — for the evening concerts and films, out of a limited allocation. The page names no price, seller or date; for Las Palmas, as far as we could find, nothing on this has been published.

What WOMEX is and who brings it to Las Palmas

WOMEX, short for Worldwide Music Expo, is a trade fair: stands, conference and negotiations by day, showcase concerts by night at which festival programmers scout new acts. On its registration page WOMEX speaks of „around 2,600 music professionals“ and calls itself a „strictly no-guest-list event“. The city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria expected some 2,300 delegates from 90 countries on 17 July 2025; Canarias7 reported on 14 February 2026 more than 2,500 professionals, around 60 showcases and five stages. In 2018, at the city's only previous edition, the town hall counted 2,700 professionals from more than 90 countries and attributed 3.2 million euros of direct visitor spending to it.

What the city hopes for

At the presentation on 17 July 2025 the town hall lists mayor Carolina Darias, Cabildo president Antonio Morales, deputy culture minister Horacio Umpiérrez and WOMEX director Alexander Walter; the co-producers are Antón Martínez, Santi Gutiérrez and Juan Salán. Darias said that during WOMEX „the residents of this city, as well as the people who visit us, will have the chance to live and share unique experiences“ — as printed in the release, translated here. She tied the event to the bid to be European Capital of Culture in 2031. One caveat: the same release still gave 22 to 26 October. The dates that hold are the ones on womex.com.

Canarias Suena: 50 places for Canary projects

For musicians from the islands there is a second way in, and it closes before the expo. The Canary Islands government portal reported on 24 September that the regional government is promoting the Canarias Suena programme and accepts proposals until 30 September at 12:00 through canariassuena.com, where the terms are also published. Up to 50 projects by Canary artists and groups in world music, traditional and roots music will be chosen. The portal says the criteria include quality and distinctiveness, track record, distribution capacity, international potential and the materials submitted.

Canarias Suena, short and practical: applications close on Wednesday 30 September 2026 at 12:00 through canariassuena.com, where according to the government portal the rules and requirements are also published. It is open to Canary artists and groups in world music, traditional and roots music, or with contemporary work taking up those languages — with proof of current professional activity. Up to 50 projects receive a professional WOMEX accreditation plus a place in the programme's room for meetings, presenting material and interviews. Selection saves at least 410 euros net; travel and accommodation are not mentioned by the portal.

Two points where readers lose money. First: 410 euros is the net price, 422.30 euros with 3 per cent IGIC; stands carry 7 per cent IGIC or 19 per cent VAT. The band ends when payment is received by midnight Central European Time on 16 October. Second: without accreditation nobody gets into the trade fair, conference, films or award ceremony. The announced public allocation sits in a FAQ that elsewhere still lists venues of earlier host cities; for Las Palmas price and sale date are missing. And canariassuena.com itself we could not open on 27 September, the connection was reset: we take the deadline from the Canary Islands government portal.

FAQ

Can I just turn up and buy a ticket?: Not for the trade fair, conference, films and award ceremony: the womex.com FAQ says single day tickets are not available and access is reserved for registered delegates. For evening concerts and films a limited public allocation is announced, with no price and no date.
What do I actually pay?: Until 16 October, 410 euros net, which is 422.30 euros with 3 per cent IGIC, credit card only. On site from 21 to 24 October, 430 euros net, which is 442.90 euros.
Are there cheaper categories?: According to the pricing page yes: students with credentials 170 euros, media with press credentials 310 and later 320 euros, from the third person of one company 370 or 390 euros. WOMEX asks for credentials by email in advance.
What does a trade fair stand cost?: 890 euros for 2 × 3 metres, with no person registration included. On top come 7 per cent IGIC or 19 per cent VAT — at 7 per cent that is 952.30 euros.
When does Canarias Suena close?: Wednesday 30 September 2026 at 12:00 through canariassuena.com. Up to 50 Canary projects receive, according to the government portal, a WOMEX accreditation and a space for meetings and interviews.

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