Spotlight on...World Class Connections

Glass World

Sunderland’s place in the international world of glassmaking and network of glass artists was celebrated in a new exhibition at National Glass Centre. Glass World presented a range of objects created by artists from, or based in, countries ranging from Canada to New Zealand and Argentina to Japan, highlighting the global reach of glass artists now and throughout history. Many of the artworks were created here in Sunderland, or the artists involved had a connection with National Glass Centre.

A multicoloured glass vessel, shaped like a long conch shell.

The Glass Heart

National Glass Centre took part in The Glass Heart exhibition at Two Temple Place in London, produced in partnership with Stourbridge Glass Museum and Stained Glass Museum, Ely. The exhibition plotted key moments through the UK’s glassmaking history and celebrated the makers and artists, from the mid-19th Century through to the experimental art form that it is today, featuring work by artists with close links to National Glass Centre – including James Maskrey and Anne Vibeke Mou. One of Anne Vibeke’s pieces included in the show was purchased by the V&A collection. It received extensive national media coverage and was visited by around 48,000 people.

A dark grand room with wood carved panels along the walls, hard wood floor arranged in octagon patterns. Pieces of artwork are arranged on dark plinths throughout the room. There is a stained glass display to the back left of the room, which shows a person holding their hands up in prayer.

Zoom picture 1 of 1

Taylor and Lionheart

Hybrid Scripts at Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art was the first solo exhibition in the North East in nearly 30 years by internationally acclaimed British artist Mike Nelson. Two of Nelson’s seminal early sculptural installations – ‘Taylor’ from the Arts Council Collection’s pilot Borrow Big! scheme and ‘Lionheart’ from The New Art Gallery Walsall – were brought into direct dialogue for the first time. Both works reflect on Britain’s colonial past, migration, trade and travel.

A blue grey walled art gallery with concrete columns across the centre. The floor is also concrete. The space is filled with pieces from acclaimed artist Mike Nelson, comprising two sculptural installations - Taylor and Lionheart. Both works reflect on Britain's colonial past, migration, trade, and travel

Zoom picture 1 of 3

Found objects sculptures in a large grey room. At the back is a pale green tent sat on a wooden pallet with sits on several colourful metal drums. In the foreground is a campsite set up with a camp bed, shelter with sticks holding it up and lamp hanging from the top.

Zoom picture 2 of 3

A large grey room with concrete columns. At the back right is a pale green tent sat on top of a wooden pallet on top of three colourful barrels. In the foreground is a jacket and a pair of trousers arranged to look like they are standing on top of a table. It has a fury mask on top which has gold glitter running down it.

Zoom picture 3 of 3

Odyssey

Through our partnership with National Theatre and Sunderland Empire, The Odyssey was an epic multi-venue production, reimagined with hundreds of community members in five episodes nationwide, including Sunderland. The fourth episode ‘The Island of the Sun’ too place at The Fire Station in April 2023 and featured 26 participants, with an epic finale bringing performers from all five locations together on the National Theatre’s Olivier Stage in August 2023.