New Glass Prize Announced

JamFactory CEO Brian Parkes announced this week the introduction of the FUSE Glass Prize, a juried, non-acquisitive, AU$20,000 cash prize for established artists residing in Australia or New Zealand who work in the field of glass.

An additional prize acknowledging new talent, comprising of AU$2,500 cash and a professional development residency at the JamFactory glass studio valued at a further AU$2,500, will be awarded to an emerging glass artist.

This biennial FUSE Glass Prize has evolved from two years of dialogue between passionate glass art collectors Jim and Helen Carreker and JamFactory. The Carrekers are founding donors for the prize along with Diana Laidlaw AM, Phil and Diana Jaquillard, Alan and Sue Young, The Thomas Foundation, and Sandy Benjamin, who share the Carrekers’ love of glass art.

This group has raised funds for the prizes, marketing and program costs, enabling JamFactory to develop this new award into Australasia’s richest prize for glass, and one of the world’s premier recognitions for artists working in this dynamic and seductive medium.

The confirmed panel of judges for 2016 are Tina Oldknow, Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Glass at Corning Museum of Glass in New York (2000-2015); Dr Robert Bell, Senior Curator of Decorative Arts and Design at the National Gallery of Australia; Margot Osborne, independent author and curator; Lisa Slade, Assistant Director, Artistic Programs at the Art Gallery of South Australia; and Brian Parkes of the JamFactory.

The works of the ten established and five emerging artist finalists will be showcased in a 48-page colour catalogue and exhibited at JamFactory, Adelaide from 13 May to 2 July 2016 and subsequently at JamFactory, Seppeltsfield in the Barossa Valley until 18 September 2016.

The FUSE Glass Prize winners will be announced, and all finalists celebrated, at a gathering of leading proponents of glass art on Thursday, 12 May 2016 in Adelaide.

Entries for the inaugural year of this new award can be submitted between 1 February 2016 and the closing date of 11 March 2016. A new website at fuseglassprize.com will be regularly updated and expanded over the coming months to provide detailed information about the prize and how to enter.