An Old Catholic Church and School in St John’s Will Get a New Life as a Creative Hub

• Antigua’s Old Catholic School and Church is to become a permanent space for creatives
• The compound sits on Church Street and Independence Avenue, near Government House
• The Governor-General and Lady Williams earmarked the property
• Renovations are due to finish by November 2026, ahead of CHOGM

A historic church compound in St John’s, Antigua, is to be turned into a permanent home for the island’s artists and creative workers, the Antigua Observer reported in March 2026. Samantha Marshall, National Lead for the People’s Forum, announced the plan to repurpose the Old Catholic School and Church at the official launch of the 2026 Commonwealth Forum.

The compound runs between Church Street and Independence Avenue, close to Government House. Ms Marshall said the property had been earmarked by the Governor-General, Sir Rodney Williams, and Lady Williams. “This is a significant step forward and a clear sign of commitment from our Head of State,” she said.

The buildings are to become a multi-purpose space where creative practitioners can meet, show and sell their work, and they will be the main site for the “Commonwealth Quilt” project. Renovations are expected to be complete by November 2026, in time for delegates from the Commonwealth’s 56 member countries arriving for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. “The world is changing, and with that change comes new roles, structures, and supports for the creative sector,” Ms Marshall said, adding that the Commonwealth Foundation had pledged to help with legislation to protect arts workers.

The report did not set out the ownership or lease terms for the compound or the cost of the renovations. But the plan is part of a wider trend across the region and beyond: old church buildings that no longer serve their original purpose are being given new uses rather than left empty or sold off.

Jamaica has its own stock of old church halls, schoolrooms and manses, many in town centres and many standing empty or decaying. The Antigua plan shows one way forward: a partnership that keeps a historic church property in community use and gives it a new purpose. For Jamaican churches weighing whether to sell, lease or repurpose such buildings, the key questions are the same ones the Antigua report leaves open, namely who owns it, on what terms and who pays for the restoration.