Catholic Church in Scotland launches arts festival

Some of Scotland’s best known artists, politicians, Church leaders and academics will come together on Tuesday to launch LentFest 2012, the Catholic Church’s biggest ever annual arts festival.

Peter Howson, Sandy Moffat, and Richard Demarco will join Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Archbishop Mario Conti, composer James MacMillan and senior staff from the Universities of Glasgow, Strathclyde, Caledonian and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland for the launch.

A special message from the Vatican will be delivered and there will be an

opportunity to meet some of the performers at the launch, who come from as far afield as Italy, Russia and Ukraine.

The event is the brainchild of Archbishop Mario Conti, who wanted to restore the Catholic Church to the role of patron of the arts.  In his final year as Archbishop (he is due to retire this year), he is delighted at the mushrooming  in size and impact of the Festival.

He said: “This year’s festival presents a delightful range of musical offerings, including a Gregorian Chant workshop hosted at the University; the extraordinary exhibition of stations of the cross has inspired Scotland’s top artists to submit their new and original works, there is a new film festival and the traveling production of the new play “St John Ogilvie” will bring drama to communities across the Glasgow area for the next six weeks.”

The Principal of the University of Glasgow, Anton Muscatelli said: “I warmly welcome Lentfest to the University of Glasgow . The festival provides an opportunity for all people – whatever religion or belief to come together and  celebrate art, music, film and theatre and so we are delighted to be able to host this exhibition/these events at the University”