by LIAM O’HEANAI
World-renowned music festival Celtic Connections today unveils an incredible programme powered by a spirit of discovery for its 2027 edition, as it prepares to fill Glasgow with music, meaning and shared experiences this winter.
From 14 – 31 January 2027, the festival of folk, traditional, roots, world, jazz, orchestral, electronic, Americana and indie music will welcome musicians from over 20 countries, including from across Scotland, Ireland, the US, Canada, Spain, Senegal, Australia, Pakistan, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, Sudan, India and Portugal, for its 34th edition.
The forward-thinking festival, which embraces tradition as something alive and constantly evolving, is aiming to build on a buoyant year, with the festival enjoying record ticket sales in 2026 as it welcomed 1,600 artists and saw attendances of 114,000 at 300 events across 25 venues.
Celtic Connections will continue to inspire and push boundaries in 2027, with 18 days of unique events, special collaborations, world premieres, and intimate shows, all celebrating music’s power to transcend borders, cultures, generations and genres.
An incredible wave of music is set to hit the city as the festival readies itself to stage gigs in venues for the first time, like the Tall Ship Glenlee, make a welcome return to spaces like the O2 Academy, continue its pioneering use of Glasgow International Arena – formerly the Emirates Arena – for live music, and fill the city’s best-loved venues such as the Old Fruitmarket, SWG3 and Saint Luke’s.
General tickets go on sale at 10am, Thursday 8 October at celticconnections.com for the first shows confirmed for 2027, with new gigs on sale each Thursday in October. Celtic Rovers will have access to 24-hour pre-sale.
Delivered by Glasgow Life – the charity that leads culture, events and active living in Glasgow – the multi-award-winning festival reflects the UNESCO City of Music itself: international, creative, welcoming, packed with personality and proud of its identity.
For 2027, Celtic Connections is embracing its role both as the ultimate winter blues buster and as a no-brainer budget-friendly January night out. The roll-out of New Roots – a £1 membership scheme for under-26s – will allow students and young music lovers to get up to 50% off tickets for selected shows.
From emerging talent to world-class acts, highlights of the 2027 programme include:
- Scotland’s GRIT Orchestra: World Premiere – Celtic Connections’ famed Opening Concert will welcome a show-stopping display of Scottish traditional music in an orchestral setting with Scotland’s GRIT Orchestra– a new chapter for the trailblazing GRIT Orchestra, originally assembled to pay homage to the late Martyn Bennett. This evolved iteration of the acclaimed ensemble, conducted by Greg Lawson, will perform brand new arrangements of some of the greatest melodies in the folk repertoire, bringing both ancient and contemporary tunes into a symphony setting, as well as performing some of Martyn’s most beloved tunes.
- Headliners head to Glasgow International Arena– The festival will once again take over Glasgow International Arena for one all-seated show and a blended standing and seated gig of epic proportions. Friday night will see Irish folk-rock giants The Saw Doctors take on one of their biggest headline gigs in the city to date, while Saturday night will welcome Indian composer AR Rahman for a spectacular orchestral collaboration, Rangreza रंगरेज़ा, with British talents Rushil Ranjan and Abi Sampa. It will be the first time the show that bridges the gap between Western and Indian classical music has been performed in the UK outside of London’s Royal Albert Hall.
- Big names put on something special –Popular English singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner has handpicked Celtic Connections to stage two intimate acoustic shows. The Dream Catch Me singer will play one afternoon and one evening gig at the 110-capacity Recital Rooms in City Halls. One of the most widely regarded live performers in contemporary music, José González, will play Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. The international star is best-known for his cover of Heartbeats, which has earned him over 1 billion streams to date. Irish accordionist Sharon Shannon will play the O2 Academy with her Big Band and some very special guests, including Bob Geldof.
- Come Together for Beatlemania – Roaming Roots Revue this year presents The Beatles: When I’m 64. Under the expert guidance of Roddy Hart, this show’s line-up of star guest singers will take on some of the best-loved tracks from the groundbreaking Liverpool band’s incredible back catalogue, all backed by the Lonesome Fire Band and RCS Orchestra.
- Folk with an orchestral twist – Celtic Connections will once again pair incredible folk music acts with Scotland’s national orchestras to create once-in-a-career moments. This year Irish collective Ye Vagabonds will perform a special show backed by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, taking music founded in the folk clubs of Dublin to the Concert Hall of Glasgow. King Creosote will partner with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and experimental small- piper Brìghde Chaimbeul teams up with the Scottish Ensemble.
- Paying tribute– Scottish folk legend Archie Fisher will be remembered at City Halls, while acts who have been influenced by the incredible songwriting of Joni Mitchell will come together to share their favourite of her material at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Fifty years on from his passing, Glasgow’s legendary folk singer Matt McGinn will be honoured at the Tron Theatre, a few miles from the Calton area of Glasgow where he grew up, and Georgia Rose Lucas presents a special 80th anniversary tribute to her mum, British folk-rock pioneer Sandy Denny.
- Kelvingrove takeover – Festival favourite and highly regarded Scottish folk star Karine Polwart takes over Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum for two nights for Curiosity Cabinet for a showcase of thoughtful storytelling and beautifully crafted melodies, all in response to objects housed within the historic gallery. Hebridean quartet Sian will join acclaimed Irish duo Deora (Séamus & Caoimhe Ui Fhlatharta) for a night of sublime Gaelic song.
- Performances for our planet– An environmental strand will run through the programme, with a series of shows platforming the climate crisis and our changing planet. The Guardian’s George Monbiot will host Songs for the Environment with alt-folk group Megalichen and Siobhan Wilson’s new trio FLOWERCORE. The Shackleton Trio will present new compositions inspired by our changing seas and oceans from their album recorded aboard the RRS Discovery in Dundee to mark 125 years since Shackleton sailed with Scott on the Discovery expedition
- Trad mad– As expected, giants of Scotland and Ireland’s flourishing folk and trad scenes will put on electrifying shows across the festival’s three weeks, which are sure to be sell-outs. West Coast party starters Trail West, Highland heroes Elephant Sessions, Scots singers Siobhan Miller and Kris Drever, Gaelic artists Julie Fowlis, Breabach and Kim Carnie, and Irish trad stars Beoga all have headline slots.
- Brightest new names– Young names with bags of musical brilliance are scattered across the programme, including Glasgow contemporary folk group Tarran, award-winning Lewis singer-songwriter Josie Duncan, all-female Irish folk music band BIIRD and Manx fiddle player Isla Callister. Dynamic folk act Astro Bloc will play their first headline show, two years on from their debut appearance at the festival.
- Cultural collaborations – Artforms will once again fuse at Celtic Connections with performances such as A Toast Fae the Lassies – a musical play offering a fresh and moving perspective on Scotland’s national Bard, and the world premiere of Pan on Assynt, which will see famed fiddle player Duncan Chisholm put music to the words of Scottish poet Norman MacCaig.
- Amazing Americana– A wealth of Americana, country and folk talent will once again cross the Atlantic for Celtic Connections, with chart-topping bluegrass star Sierra Hull, Seattle’s The Brudi Brothers, the inimitable LA duo Milk Carton Kids, and the Grammy Award-winning Punch Brothers on the 2027 line up.
- Global beats – Sudanese singer, oud player and composer Sulaf makes her Scottish debut at Òran Mór, blending her soaring, expressive voice with electronics and expansive arrangements, while Raghu Dixit – one of India’s most inventive and charismatic artists – brings his trio to the Drygate on the festival’s final night. Mauritanian singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and griot Noura Mint Seymali will share her exciting trance blue, and star of the new generation of West African musicians Momi Maiga performs as part of World Connections at the Tramway.
- Platforming new voices –This year’s three exciting young artists commissioned to create and perform an entirely new suite of music through the New Voices initiative for 2027 are smallpipes player Fionnlagh Mac A’ Phiocair, who makes his own pipes, accordionist Andrew Waite, and fiddle player Madeleine Stewart.
- Óle for Asturias– the festival welcomes Spanish principality Asturias as its international partner, showcasing music from the rich folk music heritage of the region.
- Fun for all ages – from dementia-friendly shows and school concerts to late-night, spontaneous sessions at the Festival Club and Late-Night Sessions at Drygate, the usual dynamic mix of events and experiences will be on offer.
Celtic Connections Creative Director Donald Shaw, who will mark 21 years at the helm of the festival, said: “January is all about embracing musical exploration, uncovering something new that takes you by surprise, and getting out and about regardless of the dark nights. This festival believes in great music, excellent company and the power of connection. That spirit of discovery and optimism runs right through the 2027 programme, with artists people will know and love, new names, unique collaborations and shows that simply won’t happen anywhere else. For 18 days, Celtic Connections will be a meeting place for cultures, ideas and a sprinkling of intangible magic, so come and get curious; we promise you won’t regret it.”
Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life and Convenor for Culture, Sport and International Relations for Glasgow City Council, said: “Celtic Connections is one of Scotland’s most popular festivals and a shining example of the strength, diversity and global appeal of Glasgow’s iconic music scene. It’s a source of great pride for Glasgow that thousands of visitors make their way to our UNESCO City of Music each year to experience the thrilling sights and sounds of Celtic Connections and be part of the festival’s legendary audiences. We’re looking forward to welcoming new and returning festivalgoers to another spectacular celebration of folk, roots and world music in 2027.”
Celtic Connections is supported by the Scottish Government’s Expanded Festivals Fund and Creative Scotland, and CalMac.
Culture and Gaelic Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “Celtic Connections is a highlight of Scotland’s cultural calendar, and this year’s programme, with musicians travelling from across the world to Glasgow, once again shows why it’s Europe’s biggest winter music festival. From opening night with Scotland’s GRIT Orchestra to Karine Polwart’s residency at Kelvingrove, this year’s line-up captures exactly the spirit of discovery and connection that makes this festival so special.
“Festivals like Celtic Connections are hugely important to Scotland, bringing significant economic benefit to Glasgow and beyond, while giving audiences the chance to experience world-class music on their doorstep. That’s why the Scottish Government is proud to support Celtic Connections through our Expanded Festivals Fund, and I’d encourage everyone, whether you’re a lifelong folk fan or completely new to the genre, to get out and discover what this year’s festival has to offer.”
Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland, said: “The international scope of Celtic Connection’s 2027 programme provides a healing space in a troubled world. With Scotland’s own traditional music to the fore, this city-wide festival embraces global cultures, bringing people together in ways that highlight our similarities and celebrate our differences. From the surefire fiesta of festival partner Asturias to the East/West orchestral fusion of AR Rahman’s Rangreza, Celtic Connections is the prime example of how Scotland uses music to build bridges, not walls.”
Celtic Connections 2026 takes place from Thursday 14 – Sunday 21 January 2027.
General tickets go on sale at 10 am, Thursday 8 October 2026, and advance tickets for Celtic Rovers festival supporters are available from 10 am on Wednesday 7 October 2026.
The launch programme can be viewed at www.celticconnections.com, with new shows live each Thursday over the next month.