The Magic of Glass: The Ninth Edition of The Venice Glass Week 2025

Celebrating Murano Glass with Exhibitions and Live Events

“The Magic of Glass” is the title of the ninth edition of the highly anticipated Venice Glass Week, the international festival dedicated to celebrating the ancient Venetian and Murano glassmaking tradition. From September 13^th to 21^st, Venice, Murano, and Mestre will become the stage for a rich program of conferences, live demonstrations, workshops, and exhibitions, offering a behind-the-scenes look at this unique craft and showcasing the centuries-old history and artistry of Murano glass.

This year has seen the highest number of applications ever, with participants from fifty-four countries. A dedicated committee of Italian and international experts, chaired by glass historian Rosa Barovier Mentasti, selected the final program. But the greatest credit goes to the organizing institutions: Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, Le Stanze del Vetro (Fondazione Giorgio Cini), Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, and Consorzio Promovetro Murano, which, every year since 2017 and with the support of the City of Venice, have brought this extraordinary glass art festival to life. To explore the locations of the festival, winding through ancient palaces and artisan furnaces, a dedicated map has been created, available on the official website and distributed at the Infopoints in Campo Santo Stefano (Venice) and at Murano Colonna (Murano).

Beyond showcasing the magic of glass art, the festival also wants to highlight the cultural and economic realities that revolve around this fascinating material. At the close of The Venice Glass Week, the prestigious Fondazione di Venezia Prize will once again be awarded to the most outstanding project among nearly three hundred participants, celebrating creativity, innovation, and quality in contemporary glassmaking.

Unmissable Glass Exhibitions and the Prestigious Festival Awards

During the nine days of the festival, some of Venice’s finest museums and cultural institutions open their doors to the public with a special program, offering deeper insights into the history and techniques of the magical art of glassmaking. A highlight is the presence of Le Stanze del Vetro, which since April has been hosting an exhibition that traces the journey of Murano glass at the Venice Biennale during a specific decade. 1932–1942: Murano Glass and the Venice Biennale is the evocative title of the exhibition curated by Marino Barovier. The period was marked by stylistic renewal and reinterpretation, and these two aspects are brought back to life through the 160 works on display (until November 23^rd). Also on San Giorgio Island, the Glass Study Center of the Fondazione Cini opens its extensive archives to the public, offering the rare opportunity to explore the history of glass through documents and materials usually hidden from view.

On the island of Murano, home to traditional glassmaking workshops, the Glass Museum is hosting two major exhibitions. Vero Casanova, curated by Matteo Silverio and running from September 13^th until January 18^th (2026), presents eleven glass works that explore the many facets of Giacomo Casanova, one of Venice’s most famous yet controversial figures. With Stories of Factories. Stories of Families. FRATELLI TOSO, already open and on view until November 24^th, visitors can retrace the history of one of the most important Venetian manufactures, the very one belonging to the Toso family, which in 2024 celebrated its 170th anniversary.

Additionally, at Palazzo Loredan (home of the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti), fifty artists and designers from various countries are exhibiting their glass works in the collective exhibition The Venice Glass Week HUB. For the first time this year, an edition for under-35 artists is also being organized. Hosted by the Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa in San Marco square, this special edition offers young emerging artists a unique opportunity not only to showcase their creations but also to compete for a scholarship prize awarded by the Corning Museum of Glass in New York, which includes a summer class in 2026 for the lucky winner. Artists in the main HUB exhibition are instead eligible for the Arterìa Prize, also being awarded for the first time.

All awards will be presented on September 18^th, and during the ceremony an important announcement will also be made: six institutions will sign an agreement to establish an international committee dedicated to promoting and supporting education in the field of glass. This is the Committee for Glass Scholarships, founded by the Corning Museum of Glass, Le Stanze del Vetro (Fondazione Giorgio Cini), Pentagram Stiftung, Ca’ Foscari University, Iuav University, and Laguna B.

Discover the Art of Glass: Conferences, Workshops, and Live Demonstrations

The Venice Glass Week is a festival of excellence, where glass art meets education and learning activities, giving visitors the chance to engage with leading experts in the field. An example of this is the Study Days on Venetian Glass, a series of seminars from September 16^th to 18^th, held at the magnificent Palazzo Franchetti, with this year’s focus on Venetian glass in France and England. At the Museum of Natural History, on September 19^th and 20^th, there will be an in-depth presentation on 19^th century glass beads production. These topics are also at the center of the conferences and workshops organized at the Vez Library in Mestre, as well as hands-on workshops hosted by the ISS Abate Zanetti, a technical school that includes specialized training in the magical art of glassmaking.

For those eager to witness firsthand the transformation and manual processes behind the creation of the delicate artworks featured in the festival, dozens of artisan workshops open their doors to the public, allowing visitors to watch hundreds of skilled glassmakers at work. During this exciting glass week, these live demonstrations offer an immersive journey into the glassmaking legacy of Venice and Murano, including glassblowing sessions, live artwork creation, and activities designed for families and children.

Whether you are a passionate art lover, a curious traveler, or someone eager to discover the secrets of Murano glassmaking, the Venice Glass Week 2025 is an unmissable event. For nine days, Venice and Murano become the beating heart of glass art, offering exhibitions, workshops, and glassmaking demonstrations that reveal the timeless beauty of this ancient craft. Don’t miss the chance to experience the magic of glass in the world’s most iconic lagoon city and immerse yourself in the extraordinary Venetian glass tradition.