National Glass Centre

The NGC Shop won Bronze for 'Independent Retailer of the Year 2011' at Sunderland’s Retail Awards this month, and has also been selected as one of the finalists in the 'Best Visitor Attraction Gift Shop' category in The ‘Greats’ Gift Retailer Awards 2011 (held by Progressive Gifts & Home magazine). The British Museum Shop won this category in 2010. This year’s winners of The ‘Greats’ Gift Retailer Awards 2011 are announced on 19 May.

And...

The NGC Exhibitions team picked up Best Event Sunderland for ‘The Glass Delusion’ at The Journal Culture Awards 2010. The ceremony was held at Durham’s Gala Theatre on Monday night, where the exhibition team collected the award on behalf of curators Grainne Sweeney, NGC Creative Director, and associate curator Alessandra Pace.

Grainne Sweeney said “Alessandra and I are delighted that 'The Glass Delusion' and 'The Glass Music Programme' were shortlisted for Best Event Sunderland.”

“ ‘The Glass Delusion’ was an ambitious, multi-faceted project drawing together,  not only artists’ working with glass, but artefacts, scientific objects, film, music and performance. It is great to see a project that has been in the pipeline for a long time, realised and received with such a positive response from our visitors and peers, which makes all of the hard work worthwhile! “

The partnership between Italian curator Alessandra Pace, and The National Glass Centre introduced artists, perhaps better known in Europe, to the UK and to Sunderland in particular, such as Meris Angioletti, Cristiano Mangione and Jorge Macchi.

'The Glass Delusion' included 'The Glass Music Programme'; a truly unique performance of the legendary Glass Harmonica by Alasdair Molloy, inspired by the exhibition, curated and introduced by Richard Bernas and featuring Northern Sinfonia, orchestra of the Sage Gateshead. The eerie, ethereal sound of the Glass Harmonica was rumoured, in the early 18th century, to cause the musicians and listeners to go mad.

'The Glass Delusion' attracted over 17,000 visitors in its run from 20 May – 3 October last year, and 'The Glass Music Programme' attracted a full house with an audience of over 150.

The exhibition caught the attention of national and international press, art magazines and websites including the Weekend Guardian Guide, Crafts, Glaushaus and Art Review.

Visitor comments included: “A really wonderful show!”, “Fabulous exhibition with a real mathematical dimension.” “Absolutely amazing and mind blowing. Loved it!” “The best exhibition that I have had the pleasure to see for a good while.”