Scottish Catholic Observer

This year’s annual Lentfest is promising to be bigger and bolder with the return to a fuller programme of events.

After last year’s condensed schedule, the annual Glasgow festival of faith-themed art, hopes to make 2016 a year to remember, with organisers calling on Scotland’s parishes and parishioners both inside and outside the city to help make the celebrations a success.

Now in its ninth year, the festival is organised by the Archdiocese of Glasgow Arts Project (AGAP), and features music, plays, art exhibitions and poetry, with venues across Glasgow playing host.

AGAP have started the year as they mean to go on, with a busy schedule that began with a move from their original set up in St Michaels’ parish in the Gallowgate to St Mungo’s Retreat House in Townhead, and the group will follow Lentfest with a celebration of their 10th anniversary in October.

Last year’s Lentfest was condensed into three concerts as AGAP focused on their touring production of a play about the life of St John Ogilvie in the 400th anniversary year of his death. But in 2016, it is aiming for a return the full festival of events that have entertained and informed Glasgow Catholics for almost a decade.

Stephen Callaghan, 34, the creative director of AGAP, said Lentfest can reach people who might otherwise not be evangelised and that it can help draw people together.

“The arts manage to create common ground for people,” he said. “What AGAP does is create an avenue for people who want to contribute to the life of the Church.”

Lentfest will run from February 10 to March 27. Amongst the events kicking off the festival will be two acoustic sessions from Scottish musicians. In Blessed John Duns Scotus in the Gorbals on February 13, Martin Jones and singer-guitarist Franklyn will perform a mix of blues, country and Americana. The following Friday, February 19, will see a performance from group Heelster Gowdie—which means head over heels—and Franciscan sister Pauline Dempsey.

March will also see a display of photographic art by SCIAF portraying the Stations of the Cross. The March 16 event in the St Andrew’s Building at Glasgow University will feature photographs captured by SCIAF staff on their visits to Africa, Asia and South America.

The centre piece play of this year’s festival, Among Women, tells the stories of four very different women whose lives cause them to reflect upon the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The play will visit seven parishes throughout March for 7.30pm performances, with tickets costing £5.

By Daniel Harkins and Matt Lynch

— For more information or to book tickets Tel: 0141 552 5527. Email: [email protected], or visit www.lentfest.co.uk. Tickets can also be bought at the door of some events

— [email protected]

—This story ran in full in the February 5 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.