The town has a long history with art glass and is home to many practitioners working within this extraordinary heritage craft. New Zealand Glassworks (NZG) is located in the old printing press building for the local newspaper The Chronicle. This unique environment provides a vibrant centre for artists to create, exhibit, and to be inspired.
NZG is dedicated to the on-going development of all glass artists and provides them with the best possible opportunities and education through the facility. The open access studio hosts many of the country’s leading glass artists and you can see first-hand glass artists indulging in their craft all year round.
The interactive glass centre entertains the greater community with hot glass demonstrations, exhibitions, education opportunities and short course workshops. Each month throughout the year NZG runs paperweight and beginner glass blowing workshops. These workshops are extremely popular and the year books out fast, so if you’re interested make sure you sign up quickly.
The NZG gallery is Whanganui’s premier glass art gallery featuring some of New Zealand’s most respected and collected artists. The art glass is thoughtfully curated in a unique gallery space, with a focus on collector’s pieces and limited-edition sculptures.
The contemporary gallery and exhibition mezzanine floor provide a great opportunity to see works by over 30 artists including David Murray, Te Rongo Kirkwood, Emma Camden, Kathryn Wightman, Wendy Fairclough, Evelyn Dunstan, Philip Stokes and many more.
NZG is open seven days a week from 10am to 4:30pm and closed on public holidays. Please check their online calendar to see who is working on the day of your visit, or when the next scheduled workshop will be running.
