Applications Open For 2026 Glass Internship

Whanganui’s Te Whare Tūhua o Te Ao New Zealand Glassworks (NZG) is inviting applications for its 2026 Internship Programme supported by Creative New Zealand and The R Trust. This is an opportunity for emerging glass artists to develop their practice with expert guidance in a well equipped community facility.

Two emerging glass artists will undertake a six-month programme of hands-on training, mentorship, and professional studio experience in NZG’s fully equipped hot and cold glass facilities. George Agius, 2024 Artist in Residence and mentor, emphasises the programme’s broader impact. “With no formal tertiary-level glass training in Aotearoa, the NZG Internship fills an urgent gap, equipping emerging artists with practical skills, studio experience, and diverse mentorship. It has a transformational effect on careers and on the national glass community.”

Previous participants have credited the programme with shaping their practice and building invaluable connections. Bindi Nimmo, 2024 NZG intern, says the internship helped her push her practice further and led to acceptance into the JamFactory Associate Programme in Adelaide. Nathan Moore, also a 2024 intern, highlights how mentorship and studio experience gave him essential skills and confidence. “It was exciting to work alongside some of the biggest names in New Zealand glass and to test myself with new ideas and techniques,” he said at the end of his placement. Both interns received professional mentorship from five established artists from across Aotearoa, including Elizabeth McClure, Katie Brown, and Lewis Batchelar.

NZG is now seeking professional mentors for the 2026 programme. Up to two experienced glass artists will guide and teach the interns from 27 April to 30 October 2026, with all hours paid

Applications for both interns and mentors close on 24 October 2025. Full details and application forms are available on the NZG website: www.nzglassworks.com

The NZG Artist in Residence programme will also run in 2026 from 6 July to 2 August, providing a four-week opportunity for a professional glass artist to develop new work with full studio support and a solo exhibition in early 2027.

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