2022 has been announced as the UN International Year of Glass, and the International Festival of Glass looks set to be one of the UK’s largest contributions to the celebrations. The Festival’s aim is always to showcase the skill and innovation of the glass industry and makers, historic and contemporary, local and international. Since 2004, this unique festival has been drawing in visitors from all over the world and with an exciting programme of events, demonstrations, masterclasses and exhibitions lined up, this year will be no exception. The 2022 programme will incorporate an East Asian theme, sitting alongside the UK’s best established and emerging glass talent and inspiring academics.

2022 will see the Festival’s largest offering of exhibitions, with ten diverse shows currently on the programme. As always, the much anticipated British Glass Biennale will be the flagship exhibition – showcasing the best of the UK glass art scene from across the whole spectrum of techniques. Anonymously juried, the Biennale gives emerging artists an equal opportunity to be selected alongside the top names in British glass, making it a highlight of the glass calendar.  This year the Biennale will be joined by the inaugural International Bead Biennale, giving miniature works of art a place to shine. Expanding Horizons will be shown for the first time in the UK, curating exceptional glass work from Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan. The Contemporary Glass Society has always been a key part of the Festival and this year marks 25 years as the UK’s largest contemporary glass organisation. The CGS will celebrate with exhibitions at both the newly opened Stourbridge Glass Museum and Ruskin Glass Centre.

For those with a keen interest in glass, the inspiring schedule of lectures and discussions will be a must attend part of the Festival. Prof. Clare Corkhill from Sheffield University will discuss encapsulating nuclear waste from Fukushima into glass; Lulu Harrison, who has received a Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers’ bursary for her project, will join the lecture programme sharing her investigations into turning seashells into glass batch and Professor Roger Kneebone will share his insights into the similarities between artisan craftspeople’s skills and the art of the surgeon.

The Festival has a special way of bringing together those looking for an interesting day out to learn about something new, with glass industry insiders wanting to delve a little deeper into the diverse world of glass. As the informative and inspiring days draw to a close, festival visitors can enjoy a host of glass themed evening entertainment - from a Hot Hanbok and Cool Glass fashion show to a glass and circus skills finale, it can all be washed down with a pint of festival ale or soju cocktail! A joyful mix of technique, skill, creativity and fun to celebrate the UN International Year of Glass.