Festival of Glass an attractive investment

The Bendigo Bank has shown its confidence in the 2012 Festival of Glass by investing $2,500 in sponsorship. The money will help to pay for the costs of the Festival's infrastructure, marketing and promotion.

The Bendigo Bank’s sponsorship of the 2012 Festival builds on its support and encouragement for the inaugural Festival of Glass in 2011 and shows potential sponsors that this innovative event is gaining a positive reputation from which they can benefit.

The Bank's support follows an announcement by City of Greater Geelong Mayor Cr. John Mitchell that the City will invest $6,000 in the 2012 Festival of Glass, which he described as 'an innovative festival (that) is already stirring considerable interest among glassmakers and fans around Australia.'

'Ticks of approval' from these two major local funders reaffirm the vision behind the Festival and give a tremendous boost to the artists, craftspeople and business participating in it. They also show potential sponsors that the Festival of Glass has a growing positive reputation from which they can benefit.

Exhibitors investing Exhibitors at the 2012 Festival of Glass are also investing in its success. More than forty exhibitors - many of them local - have booked spaces already, three months before the Festival; and eighteen of them have donated items worth a total of $1,520 to the 2012 Festival of Glass raffle.

Doug Carson, Chairperson of the Festival Committee said, 'The Festival Committee has been (almost!) overwhelmed by the response and we really appreciate it. The number and value of items donated is a strong vote of confidence by local glass artists and craftspeople in the Festival’s potential to promote their work. It’s also clear evidence that the Festival has the potential to become a major showcase of local glass art, craft and industry, driven by the active support of local glass workers. The more that the Festival generates broad and active support such as this, the more viable it becomes. So a big "Thank you" to those exhibitors who have donated items.'
(Illustration: VA Glass)

FoG on the road!

The Festival of Glass has been on the road as part of the nation-wide 'RUOK?' day.

The occasion was the 'YouthFest' day held on 15 September at Bellarine Secondary College in Drysdale. The Festival of Glass was invited to attend because one the aims of the day was to introduce young people to some of the community events and organisations in their area. Members of the Festival Committee spent the first hour erecting a small market tent! After that, however, they spent several hours talking to young people about ... well ... glass!

People were fascinated by demonstrations of mosaic-making and bead-weaving and some local teachers said that they would promote the competition for schools that is an innovation of the 2012 Festival of Glass.

Festival Committee members on the road.
L to R: Betty O'Driscoll, Patrick Hughes, Doug Carson (standing) and Glenda MacNaughton.

36 sites ... and growing

Four months ahead of the 2012 Festival of Glass, exhibitors have already booked 36 sites and applications continue to arrive.

The sites booked so far reflect the multi-faceted world of glass. They include mosaics, jewellery, glass beads and bead-making, stained glass, sculptures, glazing, slumped glass platters, ceramics, leadlighting, glass etching and sandblasting. At the inaugural Festival of Glass in February 2011, 29 exhibitors attracted more than 6,000 visitors. The 2012 Festival looks likely to be even bigger, taking another small step towards the Festival Committee's vision of the Festival of Glass becoming Australia's primary showcase for glass-related art, craft and industry.

The Festival's move from Drysdale's Potato Shed to the nearby - much bigger - Bellarine Basketball Stadium is certainly looking justified in terms of the number of exhibitors. The next step, of course, is to attract the crowds and the Festival marketing plan is about to start, funded partly by the $6,000 investment by the City of Greater Geelong. (See 'Festival experts give tick of approval' on this blog. 29 September 2011) Over the next few months, mention of the 2012 Festival of Glass should start to appear in a variety of local and regional print and electronic media.

Festival experts give tick of approval

The City of Greater Geelong has shown its confidence in the 2012 Festival of Glass by investing $6,000 in it. The money will help to pay for the costs of the Festival's infrastructure, marketing and promotion.

The $6,000 is the result of an independent assessment of the 2012 Festival of Glass by the council's local experts in festival organisation. Their support reaffirms the vision behind the Festival and gives a tremendous boost to the artists, craftspeople and business who have expressed their confidence in the Festival already by agreeing to participate in it.

This 'tick of approval' by experts in festival organisation shows current and potential exhibitors that the 2012 Festival of Glass will be run in a professional manner by a Committee in whom they can have confidence. The 'tick of approval' also shows potential sponsors that this innovative event is already gaining a positive reputation from which they can benefit. The Festival Committee is seeking funds from other sources and the Festival's Business Plan aims to make the event self-supporting in five years.

The council invested a similar amount in the inaugural 2011 Festival of Glass and the Festival Committee is grateful for the continuing support and encouragement of officers in the council's Arts and Culture Department and of local councillors Rod Macdonald and John Doull.

Raffle prizes are a vote of confidence

The 2012 Festival of Glass Raffle is going to be a major feature! With just two weeks until the deadline for donations of prizes, eighteen exhibitors have donated items worth a total of $1,520.

Chairperson of the 2012 Festival of Glass, Doug Carson said, 'The Festival Committee has been (almost!) overwhelmed by the response. exhibitors supported the raffle at the 2011 Festival of Glass very well, but nothing on this scale. We really appreciate it.'

'The number and value of items donated is a strong vote of confidence by local glass artists and craftspeople in the Festival’s potential to promote their work', said Carson. 'It’s also clear evidence that the Festival has the potential to become a major showcase of local glass art, craft and industry, driven by the active support of local glass workers.'

The more that the Festival generates broad and active support such as this, the more viable it becomes. So a big 'Thank you' to those exhibitors who have donated items ... and a gentle reminder to other exhibitors that it's not too late to donate something!
(Illustration: L. Cleary 'Giant Clam')

Harlequin Stained Glass Mosaics

The latest exhibitor for the 2012 Drysdale Festival of Glass is Harlequin Stained Glass Mosaics, owned and operated by Sue & Paul Chreszczyk of Hoppers Crossing Victoria. Sue makes a rather large range of mosaics, ranging from birds, butterflies and fish to floral and themed items, many with an Asian background. She will also make house numbers and signs to any client specifications and will also make birds baths, water bowls and other sculptures.

Sue spent 13 years as making a large range of lead light material before discovering mosaics. She says that she enjoys the experience of using a mix of colours and textures, and a variety of materials to create something special and unique for her customers.

Festival award from Wathaurong Glass

On 10 June, Mark Edwards, General Manager of Geelong-based Wathaurong Glass and Arts, presented personalised commemorative glass plaques to members of the organising committee of the 2011 Festival of Glass.

Each personalised commemorative plaque bore the message: 'Wathaurong Glass and Arts. Presented to (name) in appreciation of your commitment to delivering a successful Festival of Glass - 2011'.

At the presentation, Mark Edwards said, 'We thought that the Festival was a great idea and so we supported it from the start. It was a very successful day for us and we're happy to offer these plaques in appreciation of the Festival committee's hard work.' In reply, Festival of Glass chairperson Doug Carson said, 'We're very grateful for these very generous gifts. Wathaurong Glass and Arts was an early and enthusiastic supporter of the 2011 Festival and their striking display of decorative, domestic and corporate glassware, each featuring distinctive Wathaurong images, was one of the highlights of the Festival. We look forward to welcoming them again in 2012.'

The 2011 Festival of Glass was held on February 20 at the Potato Shed in Drysdale. It attracted over thirty glass-related artists, craftspeople and businesses and over six thousand visitors. The 2012 Festival of Glass is on February 19 2012 (venue/s to be announced). For more information: www.festivalofglass.net.au (See also www.wathaurongglass.com.au/)

Photo: Mark Edwards (3rd from left) with some members of the 2011 Committee