By Jonathan Geddes
GLASGOW'S Celtic Connections concluded last night, with organisers hailing the 15th event as extremely successful after some of the world's best musical acts appearing in the city.
About 120,000 people attended gigs and workshops, up from 100,000 last year and smashing the £1million barrier for the first time.
Acts in the 300 shows ranged from k.d lang to Teenage Fanclub and women's choirs from Bulgaria and Italy.
Donald Shaw, the festivals artistic director said: "We wanted to expand the musical boundaries even more and we're really happy that it's proved so successful.
"It's great that people come to Glasgow in the middle of winter, not just from Scotland but from all over the world, to attend the festival."
As always, one of the highlights was the Danny Kyle Open Stage, for which the Evening Times is media partner. Of the 80 acts that took part, six were named winners of the Danny award.
They were Scottish/Irish four-piece Feolta, Ayrshire singer/songwriter John Langan, Glasgow fiddle and piano duo Neil Ewart and Suzanne Houston, 15-year-old Shetland fiddler Maggie Adamson, jazz singer Debra Salem and Bethan Nia, a Welsh Celtic harpist. Scottish Culture Minister Linda Fabiani presented the winners with their awards and had previously been a judge at one of the open nights.
She said: "I think Celtic Connections is a major celebration of Scotland and I would like Scotland to be showcased more in this way."
l Glasgow today announced its bid to be granted the title of City of Music by the United Nations.
If successful in its bid to Unesco, the UN's cultural body, Glasgow will join an exclusive group of cities who have been inducted into its designated Creative Cities network.
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