Artist celebrates 30 years of WOMAD flags

The 2024 main arena flags, seen here at WOMAD in Spain, carry a cosmic theme, taking inspiration from planets and their rings

An artist who designs flags for a major festival is celebrating 30 years of seeing his work fluttering in the breeze.

Angus Watt, from Honiton in Devon, started making flags for the World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) Festival in Wiltshire in 1994.

The 42nd WOMAD festival, which takes place at Charlton Park near Malmesbury, is running until Sunday.

"When you get to WOMAD, you see the flags because they're high up in the sky, so they've developed sort of an iconic notoriety over the years," said Mr Watt.

These long, rectangular flags, seen here at WOMAD in Spain, are new for 2024.

"The flags have become famous, and musicians associate them with WOMAD.

"They're the only thing I've ever done over a period as long as 30 years, so it's interesting for me to have a timeframe like that on a project, too," He added.

Mr Watt's flags are flown at WOMAD festivals around the world, including in Spain and Australia.

He thinks the now well-known image of the WOMAD flags has helped flags become an essential part of British festivals.

Angus Watt has designed the WOMAD flags since 1994

This year's designs, celebrating 30 years of the WOMAD flags, have a cosmic theme.

The main arena flags are light in colour, with concentric circles and bars, representing planets and their rings.

A new set of darker, red and purple flags is placed in other parts of the site, which the artist has named 'the dystopian cosmics'.

Mr Watt's flag designs often evoke images of planets or the sun.

"Some of the older flags are now being used to make the bunting that goes up there," he said.

"It stops some of them being wasted and they look great, too."