Arcadia Scotland

Art and Culture

Jack Vettriano: A Retrospective: Throughout the End of January, Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum

It was always on the cards: Jack Vettriano, Scotland's most successful living painter, has his first major retrospective exhibition, bringing together more than a hundred of the man's best-loved and most frequently reproduced paintings. All the paintings on show are on loan from private collections and many have not been seen in public for years, including family-friendly works such as Dance me to the end of love and The Billy Boys as well as erotically-charged pictures like Night Geometry and Fetish. A fully illustrated catalog will be available.

Whistler and Watercolour: Throughout the End of January, Hunterian Museum & Art Gallery

Watercolors by the flamboyant American artist James McNeill Whistler.

Ian Hamilton Finlay: Throughout the End of January, Gallery of Modern Art

A major exhibition of prints, cards, booklets and sculpture by poet and visual artist Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925–2006), one of the most remarkable Scottish artists of the 20th century, who weaved together themes from classical culture, European history and modern warfare.

Pamela Randal: Throughout the End of January, House for an Art Lover

An exhibition by Scottish contemporary artist Pamela Randal.

Living with War: Artists on War and Conflict: Throughout the End of January, Gallery of Modern Art

Work from the gallery's collection on themes of war and conflict, with featured artists including Omer Fast, Jenny Holzer, Walid Raad and the Atlas Group, Barbara Kruger and artists from earlier periods such as Francisco de Goya and Christopher Nevinson.

West Side Story: 15-25 January, King's Theatre, 2.30pm or 7.30pm

The classic tale, based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, packed with memorable songs including 'I Feel Pretty', 'America' and 'Tonight'.

Robert McNeil: Witness: 24 January, Mitchell Library

Works of art made by the artist in response to his own work as a forensic scientist in war zones around the world.

Music, Comedy and Dance

Celtic Connections Opening Concert: 16 January, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 7.30pm

Almost twenty years to the day since the first humble opening ceremony Celtic Connections launches this year's festival in lavish style with multi-award-winning violinist Nicola Benedetti MBE. Benedetti will be performing with Julie Fowlis, Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham as she unveils material from her forthcoming Scottish-themed album. Yves Lambert’s trio and Peter Mawanga & The Amaravi Movement give a nod to the upcoming Commonwealth Games whilst Joy Kills Sorrow and Duncan Chisholm complete the line-up.

BBC SSO: Grieg Piano Concerto: 16 January, City Halls, 7.30pm

Aaron Kernis' Newly Drawn Sky is a popular work by this respected American neo-romantic, and it's paired here with Grieg's Piano Concerto featuring Lars Vogt. Finally, Shostakovich's Symphony No 1 is full of youthful high spirits. Donald Runnicles conducts.

La Clemenza di Tito (RCS): 18-25 January, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 7.15pm

Timothy Dean and Fergus Macleod conduct, and Ashley Dean directs, Mozart's last opera, set in Rome and based on the turbulent life of the emperor Titus.

Drine: A Celebration of Rob Donn: 18 January, CCA, 8pm

It's been 300 years since Sutherland bard Rob Donn was born, and what better way to celebrate than with a handful of Sutherland musicians performing his best-loved poems in song form.

BBC Radio Scotland: 20-24 January, CCA

Live broadcast of acts from across the Celtic Connections festival.

Scottish Opera: Don Pasquale: 24, 26, 29 January, Theatre Royal, 7.15pm

Donizetti's 1842 Don Pasquale, a romantic comedy in which the titular elderly bachelor decides to marry late in life chiefly in order to annoy his hotheaded nephew, has been a favorite in the repertoire for nearly two centuries. Renaud Doucet's production transfers the action to 1960s Rome and features Swiss bass-baritone Bruno Praticò as the Don himself, Nicholas Lester as the benevolent schemer Malatesta, Colin Lee as Ernesto and Ruth Jenkins as Norina.

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue: 30 January, King's Theatre, 7.30pm

The BBC Radio panel show, featuring Barry Cryer, Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Jeremy Hardy and host Jack Dee bringing puns, innuendo and swannee whistles to the world for for nigh on 40 years.

Celtic Connections: Throughout the End of January, Various Venues and Dates

Glasgow’s annual folk, roots, indie, world and traditional music festival celebrating the links between Celtic music and cultures across the globe. An international cast of over 2000 musicians descend upon Glasgow, to create over 300 events. These include ceilidhs, workshops, talks, dancing, art exhibitions, free events and a torchlight parade through Glasgow.

Lectures, Sports and Local Festivals

Scottish Independence: Alex Salmond in Conversation with James Naughtie: 16 January, Mitchell Theatre, 7pm

First Minister Alex Salmond talks independence ahead of the 2014 referendum, with the BBC's James Naughtie.

Culture 2014: Throughout the End of January, Various Venues

A national celebration counting down to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Culture 2014 will showcase dance, theatre, music, visual arts, comedy and so much more in the run up to the Games. Everyone’s invited!