The International Festival of Glass will take place in St Helens from Friday, August 28 to Sunday, August 31, celebrating the town's rich glassmaking heritage and its future. The event will be held at The World of Glass museum, which has welcomed over one million visitors since opening in 2000.
Live Demonstrations and Talks
Visitors can watch leading contemporary glass artists at work during live demonstrations at The World of Glass studio. Confirmed artists include Elliot Walker, London Glass Blowing, Lisa Zerkowitz & Boyd Suguki, Opal Seabrook, Agustina Ros, Anna Matszak, Ian Pearson, and Laura Quinn.
A series of talks will feature speakers such as Saman Kalantari, Alison Stott, and Alexander Goodger, along with presentations from local organisations including Pilkington and Glass Futures.
Community Art and Heritage Tours
Hands-on activities include the first St Helens community mosaic project, led by mosaic artist Carrie Strope. Taking place at St Mary's Market, the design was developed with the local community, and the finished mosaic will become a permanent public artwork on the external wall of The World of Glass.
A diverse programme of tours will showcase the region's glassmaking heritage, offering behind-the-scenes access to Pilkington, an inside look at Glass Futures, and guided explorations of St Helens' historic connection to glass.
Accessible and Local Events
The festival will feature a British Sign Language (BSL) tour led by deaf artist Olivier Jamin, exploring artworks in the festival's three flagship exhibitions: the British Glass Biennale, the International GAS Member Exhibition, and the International Bead & Jewellery Biennale.
Local organisations will present their own exhibitions, including Andrew Logan's Jewellery Extravaganza organised by St Helens Arts in Libraries, glass art film screenings at Lucem House, and specialist exhibitions at St Helens Minster and Quaker House.
Quotes from Organisers
Sarah Taylor, Executive Director of The World of Glass, said: "Hosting the International Festival of Glass is an incredible opportunity for The World of Glass, St Helens and the wider North West. Bringing internationally renowned artists and exhibitions to our town gives local people the chance to experience world-class glass art on their doorstep, while inspiring the next generation of creatives. St Helens has a world-famous glass heritage, and this is our chance to show that it's not just part of our past, but our future too. To have come from nearly closing just a year ago to hosting an event of this scale is something we're incredibly proud of."
Brandi Clark, GAS Executive Director, said: "We're so excited to bring the festival to St Helens in 2026. The event is a great opportunity to bring together glass artists from around the world, art enthusiasts, the general public, and the local community. It is a chance to celebrate both the art form and the rich heritage of glass which can be found in St Helens."
Further Programmes
New programmes and events will be added in the lead-up to the festival, including creative writing sessions, stained glass tea-light decorating, glass engraving workshops, and opportunities to meet participating artists. A full programme will be published on the Glass Art Society website in the coming weeks. Most events will be free to attend.
