CGS at 25: live exhibitions for 2022

To mark the Contemporary Glass Society’s (CGS) 25 years of supporting studio glass makers, an exciting, year-long programme of live exhibitions will run throughout 2022.

Many of these events will be held in collaboration with other national glass organisations and galleries as we celebrate and promote the strength and glory of the glass community in the UK.

Here is a list of the physical exhibitions that will be taking place around the country, all of which will be selling shows for CGS members.

If you are not yet a member of CGS, now is the time to become a member so you can participate in these (and more) events.

Applications for entry in the first exhibition are open from early August 2021, followed by many others to whet your appetite and inspire your glass creativity. Make a note of the details of any that take your fancy now. Further reminders will be sent to members in the coming months.

CGS exhibitions in 2022:

It’s all in the Technique (Selected show)
Venue: National Glass Centre, Sunderland
Exhibition dates: 15 January – 13 March 2022
Application launch: 2 August 2021
Deadline for applications: 4 October 2021
Notification of acceptance: 4 November 2021
Cost of application: £25.00

We are looking for work from artists that demonstrate the absolute best in the technique they are working in.

Glorious Glass (Open show)
Venue: Craft Centre, Leeds
Exhibition dates: 19 April – 23 July 2022
Application launch: 22 November 2021
Deadline for applications: 28 February 2022
Notification of acceptance: 21 March 2022
Cost of application: £25.00

The aim is to demonstrate how utterly glorious and amazing contemporary glass is, so that everyone can appreciate and enjoy its magical colours, textures, use of light and variety of techniques, while at the same time discovering local glass artists. The work displayed will feature as wide a range of techniques as possible. Each artist will explain why glass is glorious to them and why they have chosen the pieces on display to express that passion for their chosen material.

Joyful Reflections (Selected show)
Venue: New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham
Exhibition dates: 30 April – 11 June 2022
Application launch: 6 September 2021
Deadline for applications: 10 January 2022
Notification of acceptance: 1 February 2022
Cost of application: £25.00

Lives have been turned upside down since March 2020.  We have experienced highs and lows, fear and boredom, illness and isolation. Through it all, acting as a solace, has been the sanctuary of our work and the beauty of the material that we work with. We invite you to step back from the sadness of the pandemic and to embrace the joy of life as we know it now. Reflect upon the glorious and mysterious properties of glass – its transparency, its uniqueness, the variety of techniques it offers, its ability to reflect, and to express joyful reflections on life and glass!

Earth/Sea/Sky (Selected show)
Venue: London Glassblowing, London
Exhibition dates: 25 June – 15 July 2022
Application launch: 16 August 2021
Deadline for applications: 25 February 2022
Notification of acceptance: 21 March 2022
Cost of application: £25.00

Create work that is a celebration of the natural world in which we live – EARTH/SEA/SKY.  This response can take the form of:
Combining different glass making techniques yourself to create a new piece of glass work;
Collaborating with another member who uses a different glass technique to create a joint piece of work;
Combining different materials or found objects yourself to create a new piece of glass work (at least 50% must be glass);
Collaborating with another artist from a different discipline to create a joint piece of work in different materials (at least 50% must be glass).

Holiday Heaven – a Postcard from the Commonwealth (Open show)
Venue: International Festival of Glass, Stourbridge
Exhibition dates: 26 August – 23 September 2022
Application launch: 28 February 2022
Deadline for applications: 31 March 2022
Notification of acceptance: 30 April 2022
Cost of application: FREE

One of the impacts of the pandemic has been that many of us are still wary of venturing abroad, so let your imagination take you around the world. In this year of the Commonwealth Games, let’s celebrate the diversity and richness of the 54 countries and 14 territories that make up the Commonwealth, in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific. Take a magical mystery tour and send us a postcard from a richness of countries, ranging from Australia to Zambia, from Bangladesh to Malta, from Brunei Darussalam to Vanuatu.

Bedazzled – 25 glass makers impress (Selected show)
Venue: Pyramid Gallery, York
Exhibition dates: 10 September – 30 October 2022
Application launch: 10 January 2022
Deadline for applications: 1 April 2022
Notification of acceptance: 28 April 2022
Cost of application: £10 to apply + £30 if accepted

The meaning of ‘bedazzle’ is “to greatly impress (someone) with outstanding ability or striking appearance”.  What more could anyone ask for in a glass show to celebrate the Silver Anniversary of the Contemporary Glass Society? We invite you to provide us with glasswork that dazzles us with your technique and the quality of your work! Show us why glass is such a precious material to work with. You could even introduce an element of silver to bedazzle us and help us commemorate our 25-year Silver Jubilee.

Razzle Dazzle (Open show)
Venue: Pyramid Gallery, York
Exhibition dates: 10 September – 30 October 2022
Application launch: 7 February 2022
Deadline for applications: 9 May 2022
Notification of acceptance: 30 May 2022
Cost of application: FREE

After a couple of years with little live entertainment, let’s add a little razzle dazzle to our lives and celebrate what we love to watch or take part in. It could be a night at the opera, your favourite Bacall/Bogart film, the end of pier show, partying in Ibiza, a family barbeque or simply watching a flock of soaring birds. We want a bit of showiness, a flash of brilliance, a little decorative loveliness, even a little opulence, to enhance our spirits and make us smile with joyfulness! We invite you to make a little piece of eye-catching beauty in glass – a colourful celebration of live entertainment to make our hearts beat faster. (Size: 15 x 11cm maximum).

CGS at 25 (Selected show)
Venue: Vessel Gallery, London
Exhibition dates: September – October 2022
Further details will be announced in due course.

Image: Glassblowing. Photo: Jan Canty.