THE clock is ticking down to the Hebridean Celtic Festival with the opening performances now just 24 hours away.

At the heart of the event is an ethos to nurture young talent - both on and off stage. Among the upcoming artists performing at Lews Castle, Stornoway on Lewis over the coming days is Colin Macleod, Rose Sullivan, and Iona Fyfe.

The talented young performers will take the LWP Islands stage and the acoustic stage. 

HebCelt 2018 is part of the Year of Young People Partner Programme which encourages youth involvement at the event by providing support and opportunities to develop their skills. 

Ten students aged 18-22 from New College Lanarkshire have volunteered to help at the festival this year to gain practical work experience.

Declan Reid, 20, a sound engineer student and musician from Glasgow, said: "I thought it would take years before I could work at a festival.

"Young people are the future so it's important that we get opportunities to like this. This is a great way for me to also make contacts in the music industry for my band, The Stoned Immaculate." 

Another impressive aspect is the eco-friendly ethos HebCelt 2018 has adopted which encourages the single-plastic ban.

Caterers at the event have been asked to serve food and drinks using biodegradable plates, cups and cutlery as part of the initiative to reduce plastic waste.

Staff, volunteers and artists have also been asked to support the ban by using refillable water bottles.

Headliners Eddi Reader, Skipinnish and Trail West will take the stage on Thursday. 

Sophie McLean is a guest of HebCelt 2018 as part of The Year of Young People 2018. 

HebCelt takes place from July 18-21 with limited tickets still available. 

Visit hebceltfest.com