During a recent lunch, some friends were sharing their excitement for the newly unveiled Celtic Connections music festival programme.
If folk, roots and world music isn’t your thing it could be easy to overlook or underestimate the brilliance of this event.
Take a closer look, though, and you’ll see just how vital this festival is to the economy of Scotland’s biggest city and beyond. The festival’s creative producer, Donald Shaw, is spot on when he calls it an “ecosystem.”
Founded in 1994, Celtic Connections was originally intended as a small event to brighten up the colder months, but it has evolved into one of the largest winter music festivals in the world. The event draws tens of thousands of visitors each year to Glasgow.
Festival-goers range from locals to international visitors eager to experience Scotland’s rich musical heritage alongside some of the best folk-inspired musicians from across the globe. According to a recent report, more than 100,000 tickets were sold for Celtic Connections in 2023, with attendees from more than 40 different countries.
With 30 years under its belt, it has become a hotly-anticipated and essential event in the cultural calendar, blending tradition, tourism and trade. It isn’t just an important part of Glasgow’s identity – it’s also a lifeline for many retail and hospitality businesses in Glasgow and the surrounding areas at a time of year that usually sees a post-Christmas nosedive in consumer spending.
According to a report from Glasgow Life, the festival brings in an estimated £15million to the city’s economy annually. A whole range of local businesses, especially those tied to hospitality, transport and the arts, thrive during these few weeks.
This is a festival that has expanded – quadrupling in size, in fact – and its offering has evolved too.
At its heart, Celtic Connections celebrates Scotland’s Celtic heritage, but over time it has expanded to embrace folk and world music, providing a stage for both established and emerging talent.
Talented musicians from no less than 20 countries including Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Pakistan and the Republic of the Congo to wow crowds in the city.
It’s yet another lovely example of Scotland engaging with international markets, reflecting a country that stays true to its traditions while embracing global influences.
We can also expect some much-loved acts from closer to home including Peat and Diesel who hail from the Western Isles as well as the legendary KT Tunstall who grew up in Fife. To me it seems like yesterday the singer-songwriter released her Eye To The Telescope album so it pained me to learn this is actually a celebration of 20 years since the album release – can you believe it?
For many families, attending Celtic Connections has become a ritual. The love of the traditional has itself become a tradition, which is a credit to the team that sparked the idea more than three decades ago.
The significance of Celtic Connections extends well beyond the music itself. It’s a key calendar event for the iconic venues that host these artists. The Old Fruitmarket, Barrowland Ballroom, SWG3, Saint Luke’s, and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum are sure to be bustling with activity.
The festival’s visitors, often international, are a key factor in its economic impact. According to VisitScotland, cultural tourism accounted for 33 per cent of all tourism spending in Scotland in 2023, well over £1billion. Not a number to be sniffed at.
The reputation of Celtic Connections as a world-renowned event draws tourists in and often slingshots them on to other parts of the country as well. Many attendees use their trip to explore further afield, bringing their cash with them. This contributes to the wider Scottish economy, boosting revenue in tourism hotspots across the nation.
The festival serves as a reminder of the uniqueness of Scotland’s heritage and its role in our economy.
With its world-class programme set to dazzle audiences once again in the very depths of winter, it looks like Scotland is going to kick off 2025 in style.
Is early the new smart for Christmas?
That mad dash on Christmas Eve to bag the perfect gift for your nearest and dearest is an all-too-common panic.
So many people pledge they’ll ‘start sooner next year’ in a bid to avoid a stressful shopping experience.
But how early is too early to start Christmas shopping?
That question has been answered by a ‘supercomputer’ which has identified Tuesday 5 November as the best day to start.
It was engineered by a team who gave specific instructions to consider both financial factors and the goal of minimising stress. The supercomputer then crunched data from Statista and the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising on Christmas spending behaviours to identify the ideal date.
The computer found that starting your festive shopping on Bonfire Night promotes ‘a more relaxed shopping experience’ and gives ‘enough time for strategic planning’, whilst also providing shoppers the chance to stagger their purchases.
The results encouraged Christmas gift givers to make Black Friday (November 29) their final day of shopping, as beyond this peak purchasing time, slower deliveries in December can lead to additional stress.
In theory completing your Christmas shopping within this 24-day window, leaves you with plenty of time to enjoy the build-up to Christmas and sit back with a mince pie.
PWC’s Festive Predictions have shown a gradual shift in shopping behaviours, with Scots scaling back on festive spending in recent years – bad news for retailers who rely on this seasonal boost to footfall and spending.
Maybe the supercomputer’s strategy is just the antidote.
It Made Me Laugh
Starring role for Scotland’s midges
Each summer millions of midges cause serious irritation for Scotland’s tourists who contribute more than £4billion to the economy annually. The biting insects also plague forestry workers in Scotland who reportedly lost 20 per cent of their summer working days.
I had to laugh at the news that Scotland’s notorious resident has landed the leading role in a new horror comedy film about mutant killer midges.
‘Midgies’ is the brainchild of a Fort William-based screenwriter and a Glasgow film-maker who initially posted the idea of the film on social media as a joke.
The positive response to the post has led to ‘Midgies’ going into pre-production ahead of the plan to film next year. Let’s hope the stars of the show don’t make an appearance for the premiere.
It Made Me Weep
Mental health rise rings alarm
Mental health in Scotland has become a real talking point as newly-released data suggests the problem has more than doubled in all age groups – with the biggest increases among those aged between 16 and 24.
These are worrying figures. The impact of these findings may be felt acutely across businesses as these youngsters mature into Scotland’s future workforce.
More than ever it is crucial that businesses are prepared and well equipped to handle mental health issues amongst staff.
A host of policies and procedures are being developed and deployed: tackling discrimination, providing flexible working, professional help and wellbeing support.
Businesses are waking up to the fact that the workforce has changing needs and they must adapt to ensure workers are able to thrive.
