October 2019, Glass Point was happy to be a part of the Ireland Glass Biennale in Dublin. Our CEO, Dr. Ieva Zemite, was invited as a guest speaker on the symposium „Critical Practices: Making, Writing, Curating, Educating“ and held a talk on the subject of creative entrepreneurship and the future of glass as a craft.

The two-day symposium in the National Museum of Ireland, that was held in conjunction with the Ireland Glass Biennale 2019 exhibition, explored glass within cultural, social and artistic contexts and sought to bring together different viewpoints on glass art and design. It consisted of talks by a diverse set of speakers from different backgrounds in the field of glass art and design, as well as workshops. The event was part of the „Imagining a Sustainable Glass Network Europe“ (ISGNE) project, which aims to preserve the rich tradition behind the craft and history of European glass making.

Ieva Zemite focused in her talk on the possibilities that entrepreneurs and designers could bring to the table in sustaining and supporting the traditional glass craftsmanship. And, on the other hand, which dimensions of the intangible cultural heritage could be used in the development, creation, and distribution of new products for entrepreneurs themselves. Since, to persevere, tradition and new ideas need to work hand in hand.

We were glad to be part of an event that highlighted the different artistic and cultural aspects of glass, as well as their traditional and contemporary relevancy. Since glass is our passion and we believe in the preservation of its tradition, we hope to continue our involvement with these topics and further contribute to the discussion