Berlin Glas, the first open access facility in this European art center, debuts

The Parkhaus industrial building that is home to the just-opened Berlin Glas studio, the first nonprofit, open-access glass facility in this capital of art.

UPDATED 02/03/11 1:21 AM EST

Berlin Glas, the first open-access glass studio in this international art mecca, will officially open its doors with a special evening of demos and performances a week from today on December 9th. Featured in the Fall 2011 issue of GLASS, the new studio is the culmination of a multi-year project initiated by American-born Nadania Idriss, who also runs the New Glass Art and Photography Gallery that she has recently moved to the same Parkhaus building as the glass facility. The glass studio space is about 750 square feet and equipped with bleacher seating for visitors keen on watching glassblowers at work. The studio includes a full hot glass facility and some cold-working elements.

The ecologically friendly modern complex was designed to fill a the void of available glass working studios in Berlin. Idriss hopes to offer a space where artists can work, learn, and exchange creative ideas about glass working at an affordable rate.

Inside the newly opened Berlin Glas Studio

While the studio has opened, Idriss is still running a fundraising campaign for the studio. So far the studio has raised $7,925 with a goal of $15,000. The campaign will run for another 45 days. In the meantime volunteers and private funding are getting Berlin Glas on its feet.

—Ruth Reader

EDITOR’S NOTE: This item originally listed the opening date as 12/2/11, and has been changed to show the correct opening date for Berlin Glas as December 9, 2011. The list of the project’s organizers was also updated.