The Celtic Connections music festival is set to begin on Thursday, with 2,500 musicians from around the world performing in Glasgow over 18 days.

Concerts, ceilidhs and talks will feature as well as late night sessions and a host of one-off musical collaborations on 26 stages at venues across the city.

Artists booked to play at the 2016 festival include The Chieftans, Baaba Maal, Lucinda Williams and Toumani Diabat.

The last day of the event will be marked with a show at the Old Fruitmarket in aid of the Bert Jansch Foundation, supporting the next generation of acoustic musicians.

Artistic director Donald Shaw said earlier: "Celtic Connections is rooted in a love of traditional, folk and world music.

"Since our earliest days the passion, the skill and the excitement that you find at a live concert at Celtic Connections has inspired us to put together the programme each year.

"For 2016, we are bringing superstars and cult heroes, new talent and artists who were legends long before the first Celtic Connections was staged.

"This year we weave stories of pilgrimage, of crossing continents, we celebrate anniversaries and the Auld Alliance."

The festival takes place takes place across Glasgow on from January 14 to January 31.