EVENTHOUGH this year’s International Festival of Glass has come to a close, the British Glass Biennale is continuing until June 28.

The Stourbridge-based biennale – a key event in the British glass art calendar – features 77 artists this year who have been chosen from 200 applications to display their work at Amblecote’s Ruskin Glass Centre.

A number of awards were handed out as part of the biennale, including a new prize in a bid to encourage the next generation of glass artists.

The London Glassblowers Award for Emerging Talent is being supported by world renowned glass artist Peter Layton, who was at the forefront of the hot glass movement in Europe and established his unrivalled studio in 1976.

The inaugural winners of the award were Mancunian Harry Morgan, taking the £2,000 prize for his hefty Entropy Study 3 in glass and concrete, while Cara Louise Walker, from Glasgow, received £1,000 for her Aphasia, Phantosmia and Amnesia pieces in glass and silver.

Peter said: “Now is the time, more than ever, in view of the increasing challenges faced by the medium, to encourage the next generation of young glass artists.

“The award is intended to provide monetary assistance for materials, further study, time to experiment or to attend a residency and we hope that it will enhance their CV‘s.”

To qualify, the artists must have – no more than five years ago – either graduated from their first degree in glass studies or commenced their studio glass practice.

Elisabeth Johnson, festival director, said: “Emerging talent hasn’t been recognised in our awards in previous years so it is fantastic to be adding The London Glassblowing Emerging Talent Award to our collection.

“All of our judges had a really tough job on their hands, the quality of the pieces and the range of techniques on show was astounding.”

The winners of the other awards presented during the biennale, including the £3,000 British Glass Biennale Prize – an acclaimed award recognised as one of the most prestigious in the world of glass – were:

British Glass Biennale Award for Best in Show - Ashraf Hanna, Untitled 1

Glass Sellers’ Art & Craft Award - Ruth Shelley, Indian Intarsia

Glass Sellers’ Art & Craft Award, Runner Up - Nicholas Collins, Tumbling Blocks Charcoal

Glass Sellers’ Art & Craft Student Award - Haley Haddow, Orinoco Flow 1

Glass Sellers’ Art & Craft Student Award, Runner Up - Deborah Martin, Nude

Art in Action Award for Contemporary Glass - Margaret Alston, Large White Pâte de Verre, relief bands

craft&design magazine Award - Elliot Walker, Still Life with a Lime

craft&design magazine Highly Commended - Alicja Patanowska, Stratum VI

The National Glass Centre’s Emerging Artist Residency Prize - Choi Keeryong, Korean Glass 24