LUCENT | A SHARED DECADE
A celebration of New Zealand Glassworks Te Whare o Tūhua o Te Ao (NZG) 10th Anniversary, showcasing 10 contemporary artists who have shaped NZG over the decade.
There is a rich history of contemporary glass practice in Whanganui. Before New Zealand Glassworks officially opened its doors in 2016, 2 Rutland Street was known as Chronicle Glass Studio, established by the late Lyndsay Patterson, the late Karen Ellett and local Katie Brown, cementing Whanganui as a destination for hot-glass practice within Aotearoa. For the last decade, NZG has expanded on this legacy, creating a community facility with national significance as the only open-access glass studio within the country.
NZG plays a pivotal role in Whanganui’s creative identity and is an essential part of the UNESCO City of Design designation. - Madeline Prowd, NZG Manager
New Zealand Glassworks has dedicated the decade to lifting up and supporting the wider glass and craft community. NZG has hosted major events including conferences; welcomed nationally and internationally renowned glassmakers to deliver masterclasses; presented a diverse exhibitions programme; established a professional Artist in Residence programme (the only glass specific residency opportunity for artists in NZ) and created an emerging artist Internship Programme which fosters continued training, education, and career pathways into the field of glassmaking.
“Glassworks is a fundamental cornerstone of New Zealand glass.” Emma Camden, Artist
Over the decade, NZG has become a place where artists come to make, learn, teach and share, the facility has supported artists at every stage of their careers while helping establish Whanganui as a centre for contemporary glass practice.
“NZG provides artists with rare access to specialised equipment and technical expertise…through residencies and public programmes, it nurtures the development of new work and helps sustain glass as a living, evolving the art form within Aotearoa.” George Agius, Artist
The exhibition showcases the works of George Agius, Lewis Batchelar, Katie Brown, Dominic Burrell, Crystal Chain Gang, Emma Camden, Jan Kocian, Bindi Nimmo, Madeline Prowd and Greg Swinburne.
Each exhibiting artist tells a part of the broader NZG story; showcasing the works of emerging and established artists from across Aotearoa and abroad. Residency and internship recipients, professional mentors, local and national hirers and exhibitors.
Lucent: A Shared Decade celebrates the diversity and endless possibilities of glass as a creative medium and the expertise of our creative community.
Bindi Nimmo Suzie 2026
Photo: Connor Patterson