AGAP - ARCHDIOCESE OF GLASGOW ARTS PROJECT HAVE FAITH IN THE ARTS
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Lentfest 2021
  • Schools
  • Latest
  • Contact
  • What's On
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Lentfest 2021
  • Schools
  • Latest
  • Contact
  • What's On
Search

Our   Story

Founded in 2006, the Archdiocese of Glasgow Arts Project began when Archbishop Mario Conti, then Archbishop of Glasgow, met with arts practitioner, Stephen Callaghan who had just directed the Scottish Premiere of two plays written by the Polish playwright, Karol Wojtyla (better known as Saint Pope John Paul II). The conversation led to the development of a project that sought to rekindle the Church's active involvement and interest in the world of the arts through various initiatives.  

In the spirit of Saint John Paul II (himself a playwright, poet and actor), AGAP has reached out to a wide variety of people interested in using and developing their gifts and talents in the service of God.  Whilst maintaining an inclusive Catholic ethos, AGAP has involved people of various faith backgrounds and none at all.  For some, it is an access point to an encounter with the Catholic Faith, for others it is a way to develop new skills or to meet others with similar interests.  Everyone, from school children to professional artists have contributed to the work of the project over the years.  We are registered internationally by the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Culture as a Catholic Cultural Centre.

AGAP organises arts events and activities that facilitate an encounter with the Faith of the Catholic Church.  These have included art exhibitions, theatre productions, concerts, film events, literary events, school workshops and more.  Our annual flagship festival, Lentfest: An Imaginative Fusion of Faith and the Arts, has become a household name and is recognised in The List Guide to Scotland's Festivals.  AGAP's highly successful touring community theatre company, has contributed to various public events, including Glasgow's Merchant City Festival, West End Festival, and St Mungo Festival, as well as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

Since 2006, AGAP has been based in various parts of the Archdiocese of Glasgow and in 2020 moved to new premises, operating out of the Parish of Saint Robert Bellarmine, Househillwood in the South Side but continues to serve the Archdiocese of Glasgow.
Picture

Stephen Callaghan

Creative Director/Co-Founder

Stephen is a prolific playwright, theatre director, actor and arts practitioner who directs the creative output of AGAP. He is an honours graduate of the University of Glasgow's Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, with Licentiate and Associate Diplomas in Speech and Drama from the London College of Music and Media and is a member of the Scottish Society of Playwrights. He is married with two children.

His personal page can be viewed here.
Picture

Saint Pope John Paul II

Patron Saint of AGAP

Karol Joseph Wojtyla was born in Wadowice in Poland in 1920 and lived through the Nazi Occupation and Communist Oppression.  He was a gifted actor and performed the lead roles in many student theatre productions.  When the Nazis took over and closed all of the theatres, he and his friends (Catholic and Jewish) risked their lives by staging clandestine performances in the drawing rooms of people's homes.  As a priest, he used drama to reach out to people with the Faith. As a Bishop, he continued to write plays and poems and as Pope (from 1978-2005), he followed and enhanced the great legacy of the Church as a deeply interested supporter of the arts.  His Letter to Artists (1999) is a powerful testimony to the role of the arts in the life of the Church and the world. As such, he is our Patron Saint.  Saint John Paul II, pray for us!
Picture

Archbishop Emeritus Mario Conti

Co-Founder

Mario Joseph Conti was Born at Elgin, Moray, 20th March 1934 and studied for the priesthood at St Mary's College, Blairs; Scots College and Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome (PhL 1955, STL 1959). He was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Aberdeen at Rome on 26th October 1958.  He was ordained as Bishop of Aberdeen on 3rd May 1977 and was translated to Glasgow on 22 February 2002. In 2004, he attended the production of "Radiation of Fatherhood" written by Pope John Paul II and directed by Stephen Callaghan at the University of Glasgow Catholic Chaplaincy.  Afterwards, he and Stephen engaged in a dialogue about how the arts might become a vehicle for the evangelisation of culture within the Archdiocese of Glasgow. In October 2005, he invited Stephen to take up a post at the Archdiocese to establish the Archdiocese of Glasgow Arts Project.  He retired as Archbishop on 8th September 2012 but continues to extend a fatherly care for AGAP and supports her events and activities.

How to find us

Where our work is based.

AGAP's office is now based in the presbytery of the parish of Saint Robert Bellarmine, at 310 Peat Road, Househillwood, Glasgow G53 6SA.  It is not far from Silverburn Shopping Centre on Glasgow's South Side.

We recently moved from St Mungo's Retreat, Townhead, where we were based from 2016-2019.  Prior to that, we were based at St Michael's Parish, Parkhead, from 2009-2016 and were originally based at Our Lady of Consolation Church, Govanhill from 2006-2009.

Premises for our activities are still pending.  However, the events that we organise take place in parishes and schools across the length and breadth of the Archdiocese.
Archdiocese of Glasgow Crest
AGAP is Part of the Archdiocese of Glasgow, which is a charity, registered in Scotland. SC018140.
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Lentfest 2021
  • Schools
  • Latest
  • Contact
  • What's On