The charitable foundation run on behalf of the family of technology entrepreneur Simon Hackett has agreed to become the Presenting Sponsor of the WOMADelaide world music festival for 2016.

WOMADelaide (http://www.womadelaide.com.au) is a culturally rich event held in March each year that transforms Adelaide’s peaceful Botanic Park into a lively and vibrant community of music, movement, food, flavours, people and performances.

WOMADelaide has already announced its first acts for 2016 including a collaborative debut between Angélique Kidjo and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra; South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo; Canadian scientist David Suzuki and Aussie ska & jazz band The Cat Empire.

Hackett is a long time supporter of WOMADelaide, having initiated his former company Internode’s major sponsorship of the event from 2012 to 2015. At the 2015 event his family, through the Hackett Foundation, sponsored the amazing Architects of Air installation, ‘Exxopolis’.

WOMADelaide marketing manager Nicola Prime said it was a delight that the Hackett family was extending its involvement with the festival. “Simon’s family are great supporters of WOMADelaide, so we welcome this wonderful decision to become the Presenting Sponsor of the festival in 2016,” she said.

Simon Hackett, who has attended WOMADelaide since the first event in 1992, said the Hackett Foundation had chosen to sponsor WOMADelaide because of its enormous community benefit. “We believe WOMADelaide is such an important event, both for the people of South Australia and for the country as a whole, that we are proud to step up to support it in this manner,” he said.

WOMADelaide, ‘the world’s festival’ and a highlight of the Adelaide entertainment calendar, is part of the global cycle of WOMAD (World of Music Arts and Dance) events held around the world each year. WOMAD (http://www.womad.org) was originally conceived in 1980 by Peter Gabriel, Thomas Brooman, and Bob Hooton and held its first event in the UK in 1982.

The Hackett Foundation (http://www.hackettfoundation.org.au) was established to represent the philanthropic goals of the Hackett family. In order to maximise its resources and achieve the greatest possible social impact in the communities it serves, the Foundation proactively contributes to causes it supports, and does not seek or accept unsolicited grant proposals.

For media assistance, please call John Harris on 08 8431 4000 or email john@impress.com.au.

Twitter