GLASS Arts Festival

2026 GLASS Art Festival Award Winners:

Juried by Brit Micho, Curator of Exhibitions at Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, Indiana

1st Place:  Laurel Grey

Sponsored by Rosann Baum Milius

$2,000, free booth fee in 2027, and a solo exhibition at the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass

2nd Place:  Martha Fetter

Sponsored by the Paperweight Collector Association

$1,000 and free booth fee in 2027

3rd Place:  Rosalie Phillips

Sponsored by the Lilian Noble Fund

$500 and free booth fee in 2027

Honorable Mentions:

Aiko Tatsumi

Vaiju Saraf

Larry Zengel/Brett Young

Monica Harris

George Machart

Receives a Victorian Level NARM Museum Membership valued at $180.

Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass’ GLASS Arts Festival Presented by Miron Construction Relocates to Fox Cities Exhibition Center Due to City of Neenah Tornado Recovery Efforts

Neenah, Wis. — Organizers of Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass’ GLASS Arts Festival, Presented by Miron Construction, announced today that the festival and its Friday VIP event will be relocated from the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass grounds to the Fox Cities Exhibition Center in Appleton.

The relocation follows a determination by City of Neenah officials that ongoing tornado cleanup and recovery operations, combined with public safety considerations, make it impossible to safely permit and support the event at its originally planned location and capacity. Although the Museum grounds are ready, cleanup of the parks and city streets is still ongoing. Safety of our community and visitors is the utmost importance.

The admission-free festival will continue as scheduled on August 8th from 10am-5pm, welcoming more than 40 glass artists and exhibitors from across the country – and as far away as Japan – with all festival activities including kids’ activities and the Friday VIP event taking place at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center.

“We understand the extraordinary demands that tornado recovery efforts continue to place on our community and resources and respect the City’s responsibility to prioritize public safety,” said Amy Moorefield, Executive Director of Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass. “We appreciate the swift collaboration of our partners in helping us secure a new location so that artists, attendees, and sponsors can still enjoy our admission free GLASS Arts Festival as planned. We look forward to providing a welcome opportunity for connection, creativity, and community as our region continues its recovery efforts.”

The relocation allows organizers to maintain the full festival experience while ensuring the safety of attendees, artists, vendors, volunteers, and the broader community.

While the GLASS Arts Festival will be relocated at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center, Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass will remain open to the public on Saturday, and visitors are encouraged to continue supporting the museum by enjoying its exhibits in newly renovated galleries, visit our museum shop and see glassblowing demonstrations in the Gordon Park Glass Studio.

Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass extends their appreciation to the City of Appleton, Miron Construction, Community First Credit Union, emergency response personnel, community partners, sponsors, volunteers for their flexibility and support as the community continues its recovery efforts.

About GLASS Arts Festival

Now in its 5th year, Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass’ GLASS Arts Festival, presented by Miron Construction, offers glass art on display and available for sale from over 40 artists from around the country, and internationally, free kids art activities and more.

“Focusing on our mission to provide extraordinary glass experiences, we are excited to offer our widely popular GLASS Arts Festival featuring the best in glass once again, admission free to our community, “says Amy G. Moorefield, Executive Director.

GLASS Arts Festival Presenting Sponsor: Miron Construction

We thank our generous event sponsors:  Community First Credit Union | 91.1 The Avenue | Oshkosh Area Community Foundation | Horicon Bank | Wisconsin Public Radio | Menasha Corporation Foundation | Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region | Rosann Baum Milius | Bergstrom Automotive | Paperweight Collectors Association | Can Can Boutique & Bar | Harp Gallery | 4imprint | WAPL/KISS-FM | Lilian Noble Fund | J. Anthony Jewelers | Image360/Crown Trophy | Ogden Plumbing | Great Harvest Bread Co. | Brehmer Law LLC | Simplicity Credit Union | Festival Foods | August Haven