International Festival of Glass

About the Biennale

The British Glass Biennale is the UK's leading exhibition of excellence in contemporary glass by British artists, designers and craftspeople. It is the flagship show within the International Festival of Glass. With an expert jury and an open call to artists, the British Glass Biennale is one of the most significant statements of national glass talent. The emphasis is on new work demonstrating the highest level of excellence in design, creative imagination and technical skill. All work is available for purchase and attracts collectors, galleries and museums from around the world.

The 2017 exhibition featured work by 63 contemporary artists, including British makers living and working abroad for the first time. Since its inception in 2004 the Biennale has awarded £100,000 worth of prizes to artists. This year we are proud to have presented prizes in collaboration with the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers, London Glassblowing, The Glass Association, craft&design magazine, Warm Glass and The National Glass Centre; with a special prize for young collectors sponsored by Mark Holford.

We are delighted to announce the winners of the 2017 Awards

The winner of the £5000 British Glass Biennale Award 2017 is Joseph Harrington for St Helens ii

The Winner of the Glass Sellers Arts and Craft Awards is Heike Brachlow with Analemma

The Runner Up of the Glass Sellers Arts and Craft Awards is Paul Stopler for Sia

The Winner of the Arts Glass Sellers Student Award is Jade Tapson for Scale

The Runner Up of the Glass Sellers Student Award is Andrew Collins for Urban Chandelier

The Winner of the London Glassblowing Emerging Artist Award is Monette Larsen for Static Movement

The Winner of the Glass Association Award is Colin Reid for Sunflowers R1892

The Runner Up of the Glass Association Award is Nancy Sutcliffe for Fabulous Beasts

The Winner of the Young Collectors' Award is Jonathan Michie for Exit, Pursued by a Bear

The Winners of the craft&design Award are Cathryn Shilling and Anthony Scala for The Fragile Nature of Earthly Pleasures

The Runner Up of the craft&design Award is Jade Tapson for Scale

The Winner of the National Glass Centre's Emerging Artist's Residency Prize is Monette Larsen for Static Movement

The Winner of the People's Prize is Colin Reid for Sunflowers R1892

Congratulations to all our winners.

The Young Collector's award's Haughty Hawk was awarded to Dante from Buckinghamshire.

Thank you for your support for the British Glass Biennale 2017

The Jury members for the British Glass Biennale 2017 were:

Barbara Beadman: Member of the Board, British Glass; Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers

Scott Benefield: Artist, educator and writer; Member of the Advisory Committee, Glass Art Society (US)

Aonghus Gordon: Founder and Chair, Board of Trustees, Ruskin Mill Land Trust

Rosy Greenlees: Director, Crafts Council

Maja Heuer: Museum Director, The Glass Factory, Boda, Sweden

2017 selected artists:

Tamsin Abbott	Jonathan Michie*
Philippa Beveridge	Joanne Mitchell
Heike Brachlow	Linda Norris
Mim Brigham*	Jochen Ott
Edmond Byrne	Helen Pailing*
Amanda Charles*	Kate Pasvol
Keeryong Choi	Anne Petters
Adele Christensen	Laurie Ramsell
James Clark & Cathryn Shilling	Colin Reid
Andrew Collins*	Daniel Rollitt*
Jeff Cunningham	Bruno Romanelli
Simon Eccles	Jeffrey Sarmiento
Shirley Eccles	Ruth Shelley
Rachel Elliott	Cathryn Shilling & Anthony Scala
Carrie Fertig	Andrea Spencer
Kate & Stephen Gillies Jones	Helen Stokes*
Joseph Harrington	Paul Stopler
Eugenie Henshaw*	Nancy Sutcliffe
Dot Hill	Ayako Tani
Charlotte Hughes-Martin	Jade Tapson*
Ingrid Hunter	Louis Thompson
Julie Johnson	Angela Thwaites*
Monette Larsen	Deborah Timperley
Lola Lazaro Hinks*	Noreen Todd
Jessie Lee	Andrea Walsh
James Lethbridge	Clare Wilson
Anne-Marie Lowe*	Emma Woffenden
Alison Lowry	Jeff Zimmer
Christiaan Maas	Maria Zulueta*
Allister Malcolm	Scott Benefield - invited artist
Joanna Manousis	Matt Durran - invited artist
James Maskrey

* indicates student entry

Find out about our past exhibitions

2015 British Glass Biennale

2015 British Glass BiennaleRead more

Latest

Science and Stereotypes. A discussion about Women in STEM and society

Stephanie Green, Founder of Dauntless Daughters, discusses Science and the stereotypes we perpetuate. Stephanie is a equalities activist and artist, founding Dauntless in 2016 to combat the gender imbalance in children's literature. Stephanie believes that if we start at the beginning we can clearly see how we embed social norms surrounding Women in STEM in our very youngest children. Do we as a society need to address how we create academic disciplines that are inherrently gender biased?
Light Steps

Light Steps by DancingStrong takes young audiences into the magical world of colour, music and interactive dance. Created for 2-5 year old’s Light Steps centres on the exploration of the changing light of day through the experiences of endearing rag doll, Alex. Alex’s journey is overseen by friends, dancers and a musician, whose movement, music and dance mirror the rag doll’s feelings and curiosity as the journey of the sun across the sky are experienced.
Light and Colour in Storytelling

We relate to light from the moment we enter the world until the moment we leave it - but most of us don’t give it much thought. In this talk and demonstration, award winning Theatre Lighting Designer and Director of the Program in Theatre at Princeton University, Jane Cox will investigate how emotion and perception are influenced by light and colour.
Grains of Infinty: Ruskin, Turner and the Floors of Paradise

Ruskin initially defined colour in painting as inferior to form but his long love affair with the work of Turner led him into a deeper understanding of the complexity of colour and its relation to our most profound experiences in both the natural world and human creativity. With particular emphasis on the handling of paint, Howard Hull, Director of Brantwood, explores the transformation of pigments into messengers of the soul.

Plan your visit

The International Festival of Glass takes place at venues across the Stourbridge Glass Quarter. Entry to most Festival venues is free, however some activities may incur a small charge. A Festival Pass is required for entry to Ruskin Glass Centre over the four days. A Festival Pass allows entry to lectures, demonstrations, the British Glass Biennale and other exhibitions on site, and some performances.
Hive Cafe and Bakery

The Hive Cafe and Bakery is now open! Providing a warm welcome in the heart of Birmingham's famous Jewellery Quarter, with delicious pastries, cake, bread and meals. Come and visit us. Try our coffee!
British Glass Biennale 2017

The flagship British Glass Biennale 2017 exhibition featuring work by 63 artists. Winner of Best on Show - Joseph Harrington with St Helens ii.
Why we exist
Our story

The seeds of Ruskin Mill Land Trust were sown in 1967 when Robin and Barbara Gordon transplanted their young sons Aonghus and Alisdair from the hothouse of the Ruskin Centre for Art Appreciation in Venice to the cold frame of a dilapidated former textile mill in Gloucestershire.
Freeman Biodynamic Garden at High Riggs

Located in Stannington bordering the Peak District the Freeman Biodynamic Garden provides fruit and vegetables for Freeman College, Brantwood Specialist School and the Fusion Café. Thanks to much hard work over the last three years High Riggs has been changed from a disused tree nursery to a new highly productive market garden.
Experience COLOUR Teachers Conference

A unique Teachers Conference that will contribute to your own professional development and prepare you for bringing students to the exhibition through a series of lectures, workshops, guided exhibition tours and discussion groups. The conference opens with an optional lecture on Wednsday 29 August at the Glasshouse.
Merlin Theatre

Transforming the Merlin Theatre has enriched the cultural life of Sheffield and provided cultural venue for Freeman College and Brantwood Specialist School..
Vale Head Farm

Vale Head Farm was an equestrian centre when we purchased it, and over the years hard work has seen it bloom into a beautiful biodynamic farm.
Aonghus Gordon MEd BA PGCE: Chair of Trustees

Aonghus has a distinguished track record of development and leadership of several ground-breaking charities that provide high quality environments and opportunities for people with a range of disabilities.

Conference: On the Shoulders of Giants

On the Shoulders of Giants The Legacy of Newton, Goethe and Turner Newton, Goethe and Turner are undisputed giants in the fields of science, literature and art respectively. All three strove to understand the nature of light, darkness and colour. In this two day conference at the Glasshouse in Stourbridge we will explore stages of the metamorphosis of the study of light, darkness and colour initiated by Newton. Read more

Light and Colour in Storytelling

We relate to light from the moment we enter the world until the moment we leave it - but most of us don’t give it much thought. In this talk and demonstration, award winning Theatre Lighting Designer and Director of the Program in Theatre at Princeton University, Jane Cox will investigate how emotion and perception are influenced by light and colour. Read more