Demonstrating just why Glasgow is a UNESCO City of Music, the festival, delivered by Glasgow Life, will fill around 25 venues on both sides of the Clyde with around 300 events across 18 days, anticipating around 110,000 visitors and an estimated 1,200 musicians and artists.

Now in its 32nd year and almost five times the size it was when it began in 1994, Celtic Connections continues to push the envelope of artistic programming and ambition.

The festival’s 2025 bill spans a myriad of genres, from acoustic, traditional, Americana and orchestral to indie, jazz, blues, experimental and more. The event will welcome artists from around 20 countries around the world including Australia, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, France, Italy, Nigeria, Spain, Wales, Ireland, Republic of the Congo and many more.

This year will also see the launch of a new under-26s pass, giving young music fans an opportunity to access rolling discounts on a mix of shows and ensuring the magic of the festival continues to be accessible to as wide a range of audiences as possible.

Glasgow’s much-loved venues, famous for having the “best fans in the world”, are set to give artists a welcome warm enough to heat the chilliest of evenings. Iconic locations the length and breadth of Glasgow are involved, including The Old Fruitmarket, Barrowland Ballroom, SWG3, Saint Luke’s and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Celtic Connections will also make history when Peat and Diesel become the first band ever to play at the Emirates Arena in the city’s east end.

Donald Shaw, Creative Producer for Celtic Connections, said: “We are incredibly proud of Celtic Connections’ place as an ecosystem for new music and art. In 2025 we are bringing together international icons with emerging acts to create career-defining performances and never-seen-before collaborations, not to mention great nights out for our audiences."

Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life, said: “Celtic Connections is always an outstanding part of Scotland’s cultural calendar when Glasgow welcomes superb musicians from across the globe to showcase their wealth of musical abilities. Spectacular performances warm up the winter nights at many of Glasgow’s most loved, and sometimes surprising, music venues. The festival helps enhance Glasgow’s status as a UNESCO City of Music and the city’s reputation as a world-class cultural destination."

Creative Scotland Head of Music, Alan Morrison said: “If there’s one thing to look forward to as the nights start to draw in, it’s the knowledge that tickets will soon be on sale for next year’s Celtic Connections. A peek at the highlights of the 2025 edition is enough to prove why this has become one of the world’s largest and most important winter music festivals. Local talent stands tall alongside incredible international artists, as a global beat crosses over our own traditional tunes. Creative Scotland is proud to support such a heady mix of wonderful music.”

General tickets for the festival go on sale at 10am, Wednesday 16 October 2024 at www.celticconnections.com.