programme
participants
registration
students
history
video
photo
for media
organizers
partners
contacts
News
VIP Glass – 11th International Glass Symposium IGS, Exhibition in Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague 16/5-18/8 2013
design Jaromír Hárovník |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| photo Ondřej Kocourek | |
The exhibition of artefacts created within the International Glass Symposium and presented at Glass Museum in Nový Bor has been extended
Those who are interested have a unique chance to see the glass works of art created by participants of the XI International Glass Symposium (IGS), which took place in Nový Bor at the beginning of October 2012, in the local museum for several more months. Being very successful, the exhibition has been extended until the 21st April 2013.
„The exhibition of IGS artefacts was supposed to finish to the last day of year 2012, and then be moved to Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague (UPM). However, thanks to the interest arising from among the glass experts as well as the public, the duration of this exhibition in Nový Bor will be extended until the spring of 2013. “ confirmed Alena Forgáčová, manager of Department of Education, Culture and Sports at municipality of Nový Bor. She has also stated that an agreement was made with Milan Hlaveš, the curator of UPM, for people to be able to see this exhibition in Prague starting in mid May, when the main touristic season begins.
Glass sculpture ANGEL
International Glass Symposium Attracted a Great Public Interest
The town of Novy Bor became the world centre of glass art and craft in the past few days. The International Glass Symposium (IGS) that took place from 4th to 7th October was visited by hundreds of people from the Czech Republic and abroad.
The aim of this year’s IGS had been from the start not only to become a meeting event of glass professionals, but to attract the public as well. Its goal was to prove to the world that the phenomenon of Czech Glass is still alive. On Saturday 6th October, the symposium visitors therefore had a great opportunity to observe seventy glass artists and craftsmen at work in the glassworks and workshops owned and run by the organising and partnership entities.
„About two and half thousand people visited Crystalex operations; and the general partner, Preciosa-Lustry in Kamenicky Senov, had welcome over two thousand visitors as well. This is a proof that people are interested in Czech glass, they like it and understand it.” said Jaromir Dvorak, Novy Bor Mayor and at the same time Manager of this year’s IGS. He also pointed out that the locals see glass and its production as a treasure of this region.
Also smaller firms that did not participate in organising IGS opened house to public. Throughout the day, mainly younger generation enjoyed entertainment events held at the town square Miru; and despite bad weather, many people came to concert of their favourite band Ready Kirken in the evening. On Friday evening, over hundred fans of classical music enjoyed the organ concert in church Nanebevzeti Panny Marie.
The climax of the eleventh year of the International Glass Symposium came with the official Sunday exhibition opening showing the artefacts created during the IGS. Ivo Rozsypal, a well-known artist, grasped the symposium idea in a very unique way. In his astonishing large artwork, he introduced not only the IGS logo, but also the names of all active IGS 2012 participants.
Those who are interested can see these works of art in a newly opened exhibition space of Glass Museum in Novy Bor. The museum is opened every day except Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibition will be opened till the end of this year.
IGS echoes will not die away at once
The International Glass Symposium in Novy Bor ended; however, its echoes will be present in the town for a while still. For example, the flags of countries the participants came from will keep hanging on the building of the elementary school at the town square Miru.
„The standards will stay where they are as long as the exhibition of the IGS art work is open at the Glass Museum in Novy Bor,” confirmed Alena Forgacova, IGS Secretary and Manager of the Education, Culture and Sports department in Novy Bor. Then she added that the exhibition of large-scale photographs called “Born in Fire” and presenting artefacts created during previous years of the symposium will be in the centre of town until the end of October.
Finally, the glass sculpture by Hans van Bentem which welcomes incoming visitors on the way from Ceska Lipa is going to stay as a permanent reminder of this glass festival.
IGS was successful
According to Jaromir Dvorak, 11th International Glass Symposium can be seen as successful.
„I see the symposium in Novy Bor, its organization and its whole process very positively. There were many positive comments and reactions from people that had visited the IGS, the participants and the organisers over the last few days. I therefore dare to say that the symposium was successful and we have fulfilled the motto: Czech glass is alive!,” assessed Jaromir Dvorak. He also emphasized that the cooperation of the town Novy Bor and the organizing entities is not over with the end of the symposium.
„We are planning another meeting together where we would like to discuss any possible future projects focusing on the glass tradition of this town and region. One of our aims is also to develop a closer cooperation which would reflect positively in glass schools and employment rate,” closed off Jaromir Dvorak.
Black madonna - Prague
Sunday October 7th was a last official day of XI. International Glass Symposium IGS. At 11.00 hrs the IGS exhibition in Glass Museum was officially opened, visited by hundreds of guest, artists, glassmasters and media.
Attractive programme of many cultural and society events of IGS was finished and completed by last one - art & glass performance with a name BLACK MADONNA, presented by Glass Circus Royale Sweden and glassmasters of Glass School Nový Bor in piazetta of the National Theatre - New Stage in Prague on Monday October 8th.
This unique performance combining new theatre with live glass creation on a portable glass furnace has shown and proven cooperation and friendship not only between swedish and czech artists and glassmakers, but between people in general.
"Czech glass is alive" |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
FOTO IGS
more photos in the photo section |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
TIME SCHEDULE
THE PROGRAMME OF LECTURES
THE DISTRIBUTION OF PARTICIPANTS TO GLASSWORKS
On Friday 5th October will be opened the glass school in Kamenický Šenov for visitors of IGS.
The preparations for the International Glass Symposium in Novy Bor are slowly reaching their end
The topics that the organizing team of this year’s International Glass Symposium dealt with at the meeting on 11th September were among others ensuring accommodation and necessary service for the active IGS participants and guests, final tuning up of the additional programme, the distribution of promotional material or setting up the base for the press.
The eleventh IGS in a row in Novy Bor has a clearly given outline and a set framework at the moment, however, the organizing team still has a lot of everyday meticulous work ahead.
„These days, we are just slowly finishing up the preparations for the IGS. We are dealing mainly with particular logistic matters important for smooth course of the IGS. Representatives of all the organizers are permanently in touch via phone, and details are being executed via e-mail as well. Now we are in a phase when it is important to react flexibly to any possible changes that may occur in the original plans and use various backup possibilities,” said Alena Forgacova, IGS secretary and manager of the Education, Culture and Sports department in Novy Bor. She then added that the frequency of the meetings of the organizing team is going to change as well.
„Since the date of IGS opening is coming nearer and nearer, it is necessary to solve various operational issues. Therefore our meetings will take place regularly every week from now on, but also with respect to current situation,” confirmed Alena Forgacova.
Cleaning squad is also busy preparing for the symposiumNovy Bor will become a place that glass experts and laymen from all over the world too will focus their attention on at the beginning of October. The IGS visitors should be welcomed in a pleasant atmosphere, and in a clean and well-kept town.
„We are planning big cleaning of the main streets and roads in the town in the first October week. Special motorized cleaning technology is going to be used. We plan to clean well particularly the roads leading to the town from Ceska Lipa, Sloup v Cechach, Liberec or Decin. On regular basis, we are also going to clean parks and public spaces in Novy Bor, “ said Petr Skop, manager of the Technical Support and Municipal Waste department of Novy Bor Town Hall. He further stated that the cleaning squad had already started working on the symposium preparation.
„Workers in the special public beneficial programme together with employees of state enterprise Povodi Ohre have cleaned the river bed and bank of the local stream Sporka between Wolkerova and Husova Streets. Since last spring we have been also participating in revitalizing the public gardens called Horovy Sady where the outdoor cinema is located. The town management would like to open it again to public this autumn,” specified Petr Skop.
The IGS end in October is just an official matterThe official date for the International Glass Symposium is set from 4th to 7th October. However, the organizers believe that IGS will reverberate not only in Novy Bor for a long time after that.
„Following the symposium, people will be able to see an exhibition of large scale photographs called “Born in Fire” in the park in front of the town hall. The author of this exhibition is a cameraman, scriptwriter and director Jaroslav Brabec. There will be unique pictures of glass artefacts created throughout previous IGS years in Novy Bor. The newly created artefacts are going to be exhibited in the Glass Museum in Novy Bor till the end of the year. After that their presentation in the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague should follow. Also the City of Prague Museum is interested in showing these works to be yet created. They would like to install them in their exhibition space at castle Ctenice near Prague,“ explained Alena Forgacova. Then David Sobotka from Ajeto company continued.
„We are going to bring a memorable object of this year´s IGS to Horovy Sady, where the outdoor cinema is, and which is being revitalized at the moment. In the future, there should be the largest glass object in the Czech Republic ever. We are already discussing its realization with Preciosa company and its main designer Jaroslav Bejval Jr. We are also planning on a project of creating a Glass garden in the locality of Horovy Sady,” added David Sobotka.
Map Nový Bor
| Map Nový Bor | Glass way | Organizers | Accommodation |
Organizers of the International Glass Symposium are tuning up the details
Organizers of this year’s IGS have just few last weeks left to tune up the details in organization of the upcoming glass festival. The meeting of the fragile beauty lovers from all over the world is going to take place at the beginning of October.
Since the time flies and the IGS happening is coming nearer and nearer, the symposium organizers were not idle even during the summer holiday. The last organizational team meeting to date focused mainly on specifying particular necessary details leading up to success of the whole international event.
„The overall idea of IGS has been clear since the beginning. We would like to show to the world that the phenomenon of Czech glass is still alive; and so is Novy Bor, centre of the glassmaking industry. Concept of mutual cooperation among individual organizing subjects has been set up throughout several months of preparation. At the moment, we see ourselves at a stage where we are working on specifying details and dealing with particular logistic matters, which are, however, one of the primary preconditions of a smooth course of the whole symposium.” said Alena Forgacova, manager of the Education, Culture and Sports department in Novy Bor, and at the same time secretary of this year’s IGS. She also stated that the first week of October will be a time when glass fans from all over the world will concentrate their attention to Novy Bor.
“Not only glass professionals and invited guests are expected to come to Novy Bor, but also tourists from the Czech Republic and abroad as well, especially on 6th October, since the open house at the glass workshops is going to take place on this date. It is therefore necessary to ensure base for visitors who will need information about what is there to see. In connection to that, information maps with marked routes leading to various participating firms and those that joined the Glass Tour. The visitors will thus have a chance to visit and see number of glassworks, refining workshops, and glass studios, “ specified Alena Forgacova. She also added that on the day of the open house, there will be shuttle transportation on the marked routes, connecting individual glass companies.
„One route is dedicated to pedestrians and will take those who will be interested on a tour of studios situated in the vicinity of square Miru. There will be also special programme for children and adults throughout all day. The next three routes will take the visitors free of charge to Lindava, Skalice, Kamenicky Senov or Polevsko and enjoy the open house at organizing and partnership companies. The departure place will be same for all the routes, and that is in Smetanova Street. The first bus will take visitors in three different directions from Novy Bor at 9 o’clock, and after finishing the route will come back in regular intervals. It is possible to take the bus back to the place of departure and then set of on a different route. The glassworks will close their door to public at 1 p.m. At the same time, last bus will take visitors back to Novy Bor. Updated information will be provided by traffic dispatchers at individual stops,“ explained Alena Forgacova.
Novy Bor will become the capital of glass and funOrganizers of this year’s IGS do not underestimate the importance of the symposium promotion. According to them, their ambition is not only to organize a meeting of glassmakers, but the real aim is to raise attention of public and introduce Novy Bor as a town of glass.
„We want the people who will come to see that this event has an international significance. We plan to put up flags of countries from which the participants are coming. We are preparing advertising material, banners, posters, T-shirts. We are also planning system helping the orientation in the town streets and we are focusing on media presentation of the festival,” confirmed Alena Forgacova and added that some foreign journalists had already shown interest. There will be a press conference on Friday 5th October for the media; these representatives will also have a possibility to visit the organizing companies. To make their work easier, a Wi-Fi connection will be set up within the area of the town square throughout the whole IGS. IGS accreditation and information centre will be situated in the Glass Museum. „We expect mainly the participants and guests to use this service; public can get information at the touristic information centre,” said Alena Forgacova.
The International Glass Symposium will be accompanied with a bounding entertainment programme. The main place of attraction will be the square Miru. There will be a stage where several music bands of various genres will take turns on 6th October; the highlight of the evening being Ready Kirken. In the park in front of the town hall will present outdoor photo exhibition “Born in Fire”. This exhibition documents glass artefacts that were created during five preceding years of IGS in Novy Bor. The authors of this exhibition are Jaroslav Brabec, a cameraman, script writer and director, and a producer, Olga Menzlova Kelymanova. The visitors could have already visited this exhibition in Prague at Hradcanske square, where it was installed all July. Those who will be interested may also visit a jewellery exhibition in the vaults of civic house number 99 in Liberec Street, or the Glass Museum in Novy Bor.
„Starting Thursday 4th October, Novy Bor will become the scene of 11th IGS year. The opening symposium ceremony at the town theatre will be closed with the impressive music by Verdi and fireworks. Since then we can only look forward to what IGS 2012 is going to bring. “ concluded Alena Forgacova.
Nový Bor will be the centre of attention for glassmakers from round the world
Year 1982 was the first year of the International Glass Symposium, known as IGS. Its tradition was founded by Crystalex; at that time a state enterprise. This event has been taking place since that year every three years, and it is the reason why the best domestic and foreign artists and designers regularly come to Nový Bor and cooperate with Czech glassmakers on creating new artwork.
This year we are already going to see 11th IGS anniversary. Among the organizers, besides town Nový Bor, are local Glass School, Glass Museum and prominent glass factories from Nový Bor and nearby. The aim and the mission of the symposium are clear and today even more pressing than ever before – it is to introduce not only the glass artists from round the world, but what is more to introduce local top glassblowers, engravers, cutters, mould-makers and thus the companies that employ them. They all help to uphold the tradition and ensure the future of the phenomenon well-known as Czech Glass.
Town Nový Bor, glass companies, Glass School, Glass Museum and all the partners participating in organizing such a demanding event invest a liberal amount of money to ensure full service, comfort and perfect base to artists to be able to focus on creating innovating works of art. After the symposium, these will be exhibited in the new exhibition space at Nový Bor Glass Museum; which is diligently getting ready for this big and important premier. The exhibition will be open to public in the afternoon already on 7th October and will take place till the end of year 2012.
IGS will thus form a great opportunity for several premiers at a time. Besides the original art objects, public will be able to see the newly built and expanded space of the local Glass Museum; and last but not least the history of the IGS which is introduced via a unique large-scale photo exhibition called “Born in Fire” which was opened on 21st July. Its author, a famous Czech camera man, director and photographer, Jaroslav Brabec has chosen a very prestigious location for this exhibition and that is Hradčany Square at the Prague Castle. This exposition, which is installed in the open air, documents the history of IGS and introduces number of well-known Czech and foreign artists and their works from the previous IGS years, starting with the first year 1982 continuing to the last one in 2009. All July, this exhibition invited people from Czech and abroad to visit the symposium in Nový Bor.
The organizing IGS team would like to inform that, up to now, 71 artists from all over the world and across many artistic fields – free glass and conceptual art, design, architecture and fashion etc. – have been definitely accredited to take an active part in this year´s symposium. Among others, there are famous glass artists such as Charles Parriott, Rob Stern and James Mongrain from the USA, original brothers De La Torres from Mexico, one of the most famous Italian glass artists Davide Salvatore, Peter Layton from Great Britain, Hans van Bentem, Adriaan Rees and Arnout Visser from the Netherlands, and many others. From among the domestic artists, the IGS is happy to welcome again our biggest glass legend, René Roubíček; an architect and designer Bořek Šípek, Jiří Šuhájek, Maxim Velčovský, Stanislava Grebeníčková, Jaroslav Bejvl, Ivo Rozsypal and many other stars.
Besides artists already well-known at the art scene, 20 students from ten art high schools and universities from the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic will take part in the symposium. Company PRECIOSA – LUSTRY, which is one of the most important world producers of luxury lights and custom made design light objects, is going to be introduced as the general partner of the symposium. The seat of the company is in Kamenický Šenov which itself has been a centre of crystal chandelier production for centuries. Lights made in Preciosa can be seen in private houses of many famous people, as well as luxury hotels, restaurants and shopping centres. Preciosa has sales representation abroad in London, Moscow, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai and New York. Preciosa values craftsmanship, skill and long-time experience passed on by its employees from generation to generation. Preciosa – Lustry is particular about keeping original methods and procedures, such as casting brass into sand moulds, hand production of glass segments or hand cutting. When a three-hundred tradition comes together with using the most modern technologies and cooperation with talented designers and experienced design engineers, top products that have no match in the world are created.
The main partner of the symposium is a company which belongs to a different area than glass. It is a software company Exact Software CEE, s.r.o., which was founded as a branch of company Exact and which took over activities of a distributor at that time dealing at Czech market since 1992. Exact Software helps its clients to ensure maximal incomes and minimal costs thanks to offering consistent integrated portal solution, local solution designed to international company needs, approach to customers all over the world thanks to their own worldwide subsidiary network and service infrastructure optimized for customer support.
In July 2011, company Exact founded a new regional centre for professional support in Prague. Regional „Centre of Excellence“ ensuring company operation in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Russian Federation is a symbol of a strong regional position within the whole corporate group of Exact. In the Czech Republic, Exact has more than 150 implementations of its products, mainly in multinational organizations.
IGS 2012 is a signal and clear information to the whole world that Nový Bor is still a place where glass production and art are still original alive leading phenomena.
CZECH GLASS IS ALIVE!
IGS is to link glass and entertainment
This year´s International Glass Symposium (IGS) aims to stir up interest not only among the glass experts; its organizers also wish to offer ample entertainment to the public as well.
Another meeting of the International Glass Symposium organizational team took place at the town hall in Nový Bor at the end of the second week in July. One of the most important points on the agenda was coordination of the attendant events. These should interest not only the glass experts, but public as well.
„We are doing our best for the International Glass Symposium to attract wide range of people. So besides the presentation of glass art, we want to offer entertainment and various cultural events to the visitors. These should correspond with the purpose of the IGS, “ said the secretary of IGS, Alena Forgáčová. She also added that, in connection with this, it is necessary to harmonize the actions of the individual organizing companies.
„Each enterprising firm taking part in the organisation of this year´s IGS is preparing its own attendant programme for the participants, invited guests and the public. It is therefore necessary to draw up and harmonize the time schedule so those who will be interested have a chance to visit as many of these events as possible, “ specified Alena Forgáčová.
IGS visitors will see fireworks, didgeridoo and Czech folklore as wellThe spectrum of genres of the attendant events will be, at least according to the organizers, quite wide.
„Among others the official opening of IGS that is going to take place at the Town Theatre in Nový Bor on Thursday 4th October will be accompanied with a jazz performance and a music experimentalist Ondřej Smeykal who will play on a glass didgeridoo. This unique instrument will be created by glassmakers from Ajeto just before the IGS. Then the International Glass Symposium will be symbolically opened by fireworks, “ said Alena Forgáčová. Her words were followed by Ilona Jindrová, director of local Glass School, who said that in front of the theatre there will also be a presentation of students from the glass school.
„Our show with the mobile glass furnace is always very attractive for the onlookers; therefore it will not be missing even at the opening of the International Glass Symposium. On Saturday 6th October, we will open a fair trade to public in the yard of our school in Revoluční Street. We are also planning to invite a traditional bag-pipe band from Chodsko to complete the glass show presenting traditional glass craft, “ said Ilona Jindrová.
The public may also look forward to a quite ample entertaining programme in the centre of the town, at the square Míru, precisely on Saturday 6th October.
„There should be enough to entertain children and adults as well. There will be music bands of various genres, fairy tales and several attractions for young visitors. The presenter of the show will regularly inform people of topical events and attractions at individual glassworks which are part of the Open House and stops of the Glass Route. He will also provide information about the shuttle transport in between glassworks which the visitors will be able to look through, “ further added Alena Forgáčová.
Famous names will adorn IGSBoth glass specialist and public will certainly be intrigued with glass art created by famous artists well known all over the world. One of them is Ivo Rozsypal, a glass artist, designer and painter, who will celebrate his 70th birthday on 12th August. The visitors will be able to admire his art at TGK s.r.o. company in Skalice by Česká Lípa. Another artist whose art goes beyond the glass is a fashion designer Blanka Matragi. She should be hosted together by Kolektiv group and Ajeto company.
„We are at the moment negotiating conditions of participation of Blanka Matragi at this year´s IGS. Work programme of this reputable fashion designer is very busy. However, we believe that we will be able to welcome Blanka Matragi in Nový Bor, “ said Michal Ullrich from the organizing Kolektiv group.
International Glass Symposium is getting a clear outline
Another regular meeting of the organizational team of this year´s International Glass Symposium (IGS) was held at Nový Bor town hall at the beginning of June. Among others, this meeting´s agenda was focused on specifying the programme of the attendant events and list of participants.
At the beginning of the meeting, Alena Forgáčová, secretary of IGS, informed those present at the meeting that sixty participants from twenty different countries had promised to take active part in this year´s glass symposium. Therefore there will be representatives not only from Europe, but Japan, China, the USA and Mexico as well.
„The lists of participants are still being regularly updated. Each of the organising companies that will provide base to the invited artists within their workplace is still negotiating with possible replacement. The beginning of the symposium is still more than a quarter of a year ahead so there might still be some partial changes. However, we can already say that at the beginning of October there will be sixty top artists in a creative process in Nový Bor, “said Alena Forgáčová. Here speech was followed by Milan Handl, a teacher at Nový Bor Glass School. He told the present organisers about the preparations in the student section of IGS.
„We contacted ten schools altogether and we are pleased to see that they are very interested. All schools have promised to send their students. At this time, there are twenty future glass artists on the list of the student section that have applied. These will represent the glass secondary schools and glass university studios from the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic, “confirmed Milan Handl. He also added that the student section will be organized together with Crystalex CZ, s.r.o.
Just a few interested in sharing in the open house
For several weeks, glass companies from Nový Bor and around had a chance to show interest in being on the list of the open house itinerary. The open house is one of the attendant events of this year´s symposium and is organised mainly to present companies that are not themselves part of the IGS organization team.
„Till the beginning of June, small companies from Nový Bor and around could seize the opportunity to sign up for the Open house and become a stop on the shuttle route, on which IGS visitors will be transported to different glass businesses. The opportunity to present own art and production was taken only by a few,“ said Alena Forgáčová with adding that by 1st June only two applications for the open house presentation had been delivered to the office of IGS secretary; one being from company Smutný – cut glass and the other Korálky – Beads – Perlen.
Glass will arise from fire at Hradčany Square
Another attendant event accompanying the International Glass Symposium is going to be an open-air exhibition of large scale photographs presenting previous IGS years. This exhibition bears a fitting name „Born in Fire“. Its official opening is planned to be at Hradčany Square in Prague on Thursday 21st June.
„The author of these unique photographs and exposition is a camera man, director and script writer Jaroslav Brabec. The production of this project is taken by Olga Menzelová Kelymanová. The exhibition will be open to public at around the clock till the end of July, “said David Sobotka from Ajeto, one of the organizing companies. He also emphasized that this attractive location and the time of exhibition will also contribute very much to the presentation of the October IGS taking place in Nový Bor.
Glass Arose from Fire at Hradčany
An open-air photo exhibition „Born in Fire“ was officially opened in Hradčany Square on Thursday, 21st June. This exhibition presents artefacts created in Nový Bor during International Glass Symposiums (IGS) years before to visitors from home and abroad.
This exhibition is one of the attendant events of this year´s International Glass Symposium (IGS) which will take place in Nový Bor at the beginning of October. The author of these unique photographs and exposition is a camera man, director, and script writer Jaroslav Brabec. The production of this project is taken by Olga Menzelová Kelymanová. She was also the one to open this exhibition.
„I am happy that we have the chance to present here the art of Czech glassmakers and I hope that glass art and craft will keep on thriving, “said Olga Menzelová Kelymanová above all.
A big attraction for the first visitors of the exhibition was a glass show, practical presentation of glass production carried out by Glass School Nový Bor at their mobile furnace.
The exhibition will be open to public at Hradčany Square around the clock till the end of July.
There are new photos in section „photo“
 |
 |
Born in fire
An outdoor exhibition of photographs – Hradcany Square, Prag
International Glass Symposium Rouses Admiration Abroad
International Glass Symposium (IGS) in Nový Bor is going to take place in less than half a year. However, this festival of glass and fragile beauty is already now meeting with a wide reception abroad. This fact was obvious at the in the meantime last meeting of the organisational team taking place on 10th May at the Nový Bor town hall.
„Nový Bor IGS rouses admiration abroad; so I learnt while on a recent business trip to Germany. Symposium is considered as a very creditable event and its significance reaches well behind the Czech borders. Glassmakers from that area also acknowledged that they quite envy their Czech colleagues, especially when it comes to the support of business partners and state officers they receive in connection with the symposium and also the opportunity to organise such event and present their skills, “said Jaroslav Šácha representative of one of the organising companies TGK – technology, glass and art Ltd at the beginning of the May meeting. His words then were supplemented by Alena Forgáčová, IGS Secretary, who also confirmed that even the Czech professional and nonprofessional interest in International Glass Symposium is also increasing.
„The symposium is attracting attention and its prestige is really high; the evidence of which is e.g. the fact that we have got an offer of partnership and support from Preciosa Company. We have accepted this offer and Preciosa therefore becomes a general partner of this year’s IGS, “informed Alena Forgáčová.
Fast Pace of IGS PreparationsAnother point on the agenda of the May organisational meeting of the IGS was for example specifying some organisational and technical matters concerning e.g. the Student section which is arranged for by the Glass School in cooperation with Crystalex CZ, Ltd.
„We have sent out invitations with information specifying the conditions of participation in the Student section to glass high schools and glass studios at universities in the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic. We should have a complete list of nominated students at the turn of May and June, “specified Ilona Jindrová, director of Nový Bor Glass School. The lists of nominees further undergo revision at the organising companies. Continuing process is also updating of participants’ profiles on the IGS website.
Besides live presentation of the artistic process and working with glass, part of this year’s International Glass Symposium will be also many lectures and multimedia presentations concerned with glass techniques and technologies.
Next organisational meeting of representatives will take place again at the beginning of June.
News billboards
International Glass Symposium (IGS) and Nový Bor have been closely connected for thirty years already. In 1982 Crystalex a.s. invited for the first time artists and designers from the whole world to realize with local glassmakers their designs and ideas in the Crystalex workshops. The International Glass Symposium has been taking place every three years and over the thirty years of IGS more than five hundred artists have participated in it. The tradition of this triennial event continues in 2012 as well; at the beginning of October we are already going to see its 11th anniversary. The organizer of eight years of the symposium in years 1982 – 2006 was Crystalex a.s. Nový Bor. In 1994 it was held under the name „Glass Ambitions 94“and it was organised by companies Egermann s.r.o. and Ajeto Czech Glass Craft s.r.o. In 2009 Crystalex went bankrupt and therefore could not organize the jubilee 10th year of the symposium. However, the town leaders at that time knew the importance and significance of the IGS to the town itself. First, they underwent several negotiations with the administrator of Crystalex concerning the permit to organize 10th anniversary of the symposium. Secondly, they invited other glass companies to co-organize this event. These companies provided technical, organizational and personnel support necessary for standard content of the symposium. The partners were Ajeto Czech Glass Graft s.r.o., 
Egermann s.r.o, GLASS WORKS SLAVIA s.r.o. Nový Bor, TGK – technology, glass and art s.r.o. Skalice u České Lípy and the Glass School in Nový Bor. Another institution participating in organizing that should not be forgotten is the Glass Museum Nový Bor. The preparation for the jubilee 10th symposium started in January 2009, so the time between the decision to hold the symposium and the realization itself, the time for the preparation, was very short. The artistic event which took place in June 2009 was therefore unusual not only thanks to the change of organizers, but also the short time interval in which it was prepared. There is no doubt that not all traditions of the former symposiums were kept, however, that makes the IGS 2009 a unique original in its thirty-year history. In these 30 years, the symposium has truly become an event very unique worldwide, a symbol of meeting, creative work and new possibilities. At one place and at the same time, great glass artists from all over the world meet at workshops and glass works in three-year intervals to realize together with glassmakers their creative ideas, all that in front of the public. In the last ten symposiums Nový Bor has welcomed hundreds of significant personalities whose names are connected with glass and the invitation to the symposium has become a prestigious event in the glass world.
The phenomenon known as IGS is still alive and in 2012 will write another chapter in its history.
It is great news for glass and Nový Bor that one of the organizers is again Crystalex CZ.
The website of IGS 2009 can be found in section History.