THE boss of Scotland’s biggest roots and traditional music festival has claimed the plunging value of sterling against the dollar has forced organisers to pull the plug on several US acts.
Celtic Connections organisers have seen the cost of flying stars across the Atlantic rise by at least 30 per cent since the currency falls in the wake of the Brexit vote in June.
Six shows that artistic director Donald Shaw had planned, including a tribute to Dolly Parton as part of the festival’s 2017 focus on female artists, have been cancelled.
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Mr Shaw said: “It affects us primarily from a budget point of view, because Celtic Connections runs on a tight budget anyway.
“The reality is that this time last year we were booking flights from Nashville and they were £600, and the same flights are now £900, because of the sterling crash against the dollar.
“It’s had an impact, because we have quite a high ratio of American artists on the bill.
“So from a couple of months ago, shows I had planned, I had to stop.
“We just didn’t have that extra 30 per cent to add on to those flights. So that’s been the biggest impact.”
The Parton event formed part of the festival’s 2017 focus on female artists.
The festival runs in Glasgow from January 19 to February 6, with an opening concert by Laura Marling,
However, long term Mr Shaw said the UK’s exit from the European Union would not affect the quality of the festival, adding: “What happens in music is that musicians make an extra effort to come together and say ‘We are not part of this divisive political scenario.’
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“I am already aware of that, every musician you meet talks about that element, about the free movement of people and the free movement of musicians being essential.
“So you kind of have to ignore the right wing propaganda about immigration, as a musician we talk about the positivity of immigration.
“In terms of programming music, and making music, I don’t think it will affect us, the bigger questions are logistical problems.
“The most important thing for us is to continue to give the impression of harmony and collectiveness and collaboration between musicians, which is a big part of the festival.”
Inspirational women of music is one of the main themes of the 2017 Celtic Connections festival, which still features several US acts.
More than 2,000 musicians will take part in 300 events at venues across Glasgow as part of the popular annual celebration of folk, traditional, roots and world music.
The Mercury-nominated and Brit award-winning singer-songwriter Laura Marling will make her Celtic Connections debut leading an orchestrated performance of her songs at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on January 19 for the opening concert.
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She will be performing with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and special guests, and the orchestration will be written by by composer and instrumentalist Kate St. John.
Olivia Newton-John, Grammy nominee Beth Nielsen Chapman and Amy Sky will perform music from their collaborative album Liv On live for the first time, at the Royal Concert Hall on January 24.
Scottish singer-songwriter Karine Polwart’s Wind Resistance will be presented at the Tron Theatre and the lauded song collector and singer Shirley Collins follows the release of her first album for more than 30 years this November with a performance at the City Halls on February 4.
Shooglenifty and special guests will come together for A Night For Angus, paying “tribute to their friend, band member and inspirational fiddle player” Angus R Grant, who died recently.
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