Welcome to the Glass Age: Social, cultural and environmental sustainability within the international Art Glass movement

Since their publication in 2015, the world has reflected upon and used the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) as a target to revise our actions and to direct our research drivers with an aim to implement them by 2030. This call to action is a collective, universal wake-up call: to end poverty; to protect the environment; to achieve gender equality; to ensure health and well-being; and to ensure peace and prosperity for all. But what does this mean in terms of Art Glass? The far-reaching effect of these goals when viewed through the lens of the international Art Glass movement is an engaging and exciting space to examine. Understanding how the goals can or have been applied to contemporary art glass practice, education and community is an important enquiry for the sector. As an artist and academic educator within the Art Glass community, the UN SDGs have been an important reference point. This essay will focus on the effect of goals 4, 5, 12 and 13; which can be seen in action as a form of social commentary within the international Art Glass movement.