Celtic Connections and is an integral and vibrant part of cultural life in Glasgow, with the economic impact on the city reaching £5.8 million in 2007. The festival actively promotes artistic links and cultural exchange across countries, reinforced by Showcase Scotland which brought 200 music industry delegates from 35 different countries to Scotland looking to book Scottish bands for festivals abroad in 2008. The 2008 festival opened with the Common Ground concert where many of the artists taking part in the event performed together. Donald Shaw, artistic director of the festival, spoke about the future of Celtic Connections as well as the
Flood City Music Festival in 2009 to include other styles of music. Flood City Music Festival Flood City Music Festival is an annual music festival held in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, presented by the Johnstown Area Heritage Association. The festival began in 1989 as a street fair to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Johnstown Flood. The event was renamed the National Folk Festival in 1990, and was held in Johnstown's Cambria City neighborhood from 1990 to 1992. In 1993, it was renamed the Johnstown FolkFest and eventually the festival moved from Cambria City to downtown Johnstown in 2004. The festival emphasized acoustic music, but was