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With 1,500 performers in the line-up, the programme is certainly vast.

And with artists from as far afield as Senegal, Cuba and the USA, the connections which will be made during January's music festival continue to be global.

While there's no obvious big name headliner - each strand, whether American indie, Scottish pop, or English folk features a who's who of the genre.

A gospel strand includes Mavis Staples, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Bettye Lavette and the Creole Choir of Cuba.

The Scottish folk scene is well represented by Lau, the Treacherous Orchestra, the Unusual Suspects and Fiddlers' Bid while English folk music has Thea Gilmore, Seth Lakeman and Richard Thompson to fly the flag.

But the trick is the mix of music - whether that's Indian tabla player Zakir Hussain playing alongside traditional musicians from Scotland and Ireland, or composer Craig Armstrong working with the exponents of the electronic music scene.

Over 17 years, the festival has built up a following of music fans, from here and abroad, prepared to take a punt on something different.

Artistic director Donald Shaw - a jobbing musician himself with the band Capercaillie - is confident that his audience is loyal enough, and sophisticated enough, to continue that trend in 2011.

It's a trend which has also become important to Glasgow - bringing in an estimated £11.9m to the Scottish economy at a bleak and quiet time of year for any form of tourism.

But its director believes it does much more than that - and as the entire cultural sector braces itself for cuts - he hopes its contribution will continue to be recognised.

"We're certainly aware of it, whether finding individual sponsors for shows, which is getting harder and harder," says Donald Shaw.

"Glasgow City Council are still very supportive of this festival. They see it as a major event in Glasgow's calendar but yes, it is a concern and we just have to manage it as best we can, and put on great shows in whatever way we can."

Like many who work in the arts sector, he's also concerned about whether politicians understand the true value of arts and culture - citing the example of campaigning for the recent general election, when politicians failed to mention the sector at all.

"I don't think it's valued enough. It's very underplayed and I think there has to be a greater realisation of how communities are brought together through the arts.

"Our education concerts are a great example.

"Musicians go out to schools and teach kids how to play music and that brings together groups of children who might otherwise have remained apart, perhaps the children of asylum seekers and local children, so it's not just a case of measuring its impact in economic or tourist terms, it's about lifestyle and the impact it can have on people's lives."

Meanwhile, there is one big name artist who'll be on the lips of performers at the 2011 festival - even if he's not on the stage.

Bob Dylan marks his 70th birthday in 2011 and Celtic Connections is one of the first gatherings to mark the date (May 24th if you want to send a card).

Justin Townes-Earle, Justin Currie, Thea Gilmore, James Grant, Rab Noakes, Tim O'Brien and Gemma Hayes are among those announced so far.

Dylan has long acknowledged the influence of Scottish folk music on his songwriting - and specificially the debt owed to Hamish Henderson for The 51st (Highland) Division's Farewell to Sicily, which directly influenced his song the Times They Are A Changin' - but this concert will allow performers to explore further connections.

And will the man himself put in an appearance? Donald Shaw is hopeful.

"He does know. At least, his management company know about the concert and we have given him a very heart-felt invitation to Glasgow this winter. It would be wrong of me to put his name on the ticket, but you just never know."

Celtic Connections 2011 kicks off on 13 January.