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Expanded State-of-the-Art, 60,000 Square-Foot Studio in the City of Corning Will Provide Expanded opportunities for Artists and Museum Visitors
More than $ 9 Million NYS Investment Complements “Southern Tier Soaring” - The Region’s Comprehensive Strategy to Revitalize Communities and Grow the Economy by Supporting Targeted Tourism Efforts
Photos of The Studio Space Available Here.
Governor Kathy Hochul and Empire State Development (ESD) today marked the official grand opening of the expanded The Studio facility at the storied Corning Museum of Glass. Established in 1996, The Studio offers glassmaking instruction across a spectrum of techniques and skill levels, host residencies for artists, and provide rentals of furnace, kiln, and cold-working spaces and equipment, along with a variety of other special programs. The State of New York provided a total of $9.4 million in support for the Studio expansion including $4 million through the Southern Tier Soaring Upstate Revitalization Initiative; a $900,000 Market NY grant and other sources of public funding programs, including $4.5 million support from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Capital Projects Initiative. The total project cost was placed at $55.3 million.
“Tourism is New York’s third largest industry, supporting tens of thousands of jobs in the Southern Tier while generating millions in direct visitor spending,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “The Corning Museum of Glass is one of the Southern Tier’s tourism anchors and New York State is proud to invest in this latest expansion which will spark imagination and innovation, while encouraging tourism, and economic development in Corning and throughout the region.”
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The Studio’s expansion is a game-changer for both emerging artists and visitors alike. This space further exemplifies the world-renowned reputation of the amazing Corning Museum of Glass and will no doubt spur even more interest in this unmissable attraction.”
The Corning Museum of Glass is a not-for-profit museum dedicated to exploring a single material: glass. Annually welcoming over 300,000 visitors from around the world, the Museum's campus is home to the world’s most comprehensive collection of glass, the world’s foremost library on glass, and one of the top glassworking schools in the world.
The newly completed 60,000-square-foot Studio will:
become the only facility in North America for artists to cast large-scale glass works, and serve as an important center for teaching sculptural casting techniques;
give artists unprecedented opportunities to push boundaries and establish new frontiers of glassmaking by providing a new technology center with next-generation equipment, including CNC machines, 3-D printers, neon-making facilities, a mold shop, a metal shop, and a wood shop to support glassworking;
create a new year-round Residency Center where artists will be encouraged to conceptualize and experiment with new techniques and forms to push their practice in new directions;
increase the number of Artists-in-Residence (AiR) The Studio can accommodate annually and extend residency duration for participants in the world-renowned program;
introduce the two-year, Glassmaking Institute certificate program offering intensive practical training in glassmaking and professional development opportunities to nine students annually, outside a formal BFA or MFA program;
and scale up the Make Your Own Glass (MYOG) experience for Museum visitors by expanding capacity to serve more daily participants and introducing new projects including an hour-long In-Depth Glassblowing experience and an Engraving & Printmaking project using a traditional engraving lathe.
Karol Wight, Executive Director and President of the Corning Museum of Glass said, “We are incredibly grateful for New York State’s significant support of our innovative and expansive initiative at The Studio. We fully expect The Studio will create jobs in the Southern Tier and realize considerable economic impacts by giving artists optimal resources: support, space and the freedom to create. The Studio will benefit both the global arts world and our residents and visitors. We are especially thankful for Governor Hochul's ongoing support of the arts in New York, and her acknowledgement of their importance in creating a vibrant society.”
Amy Schwartz, the Director of The Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass said, “The Studio’s successful expansion is a testament to the power of glass as a medium for contemporary art making and the appeal it holds for established, emerging, and potential glassmakers eager to find an environment that supports their practice. As the founding director of The Studio nearly three decades ago, I am both proud and gratified to see The Studio’s vision for a vibrant artistic and educational community realized beyond our wildest initial dreams.”
"A supporter of the museum for over 50 years, the New York State Council on the Arts is proud to support this innovative space at the Corning Museum of Glass with a Capital Projects grant. Arts and culture capital projects like this strengthen their communities, deliver more visitors to local businesses and further expand our rich artistic diversity,” said Erika Mallin, Executive Director of NYSCA. “By giving artists the greatest resources of all – support, space and the freedom to create, The Studio will benefit both the global arts world and our residents and visitors. We congratulate the Corning Museum of Glass team for building this international artistic hub and further enriching New York’s creativity, innovation and culture.”
Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said, "The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass adds another compelling reason for travelers to visit the beautiful Finger Lakes vacation region, and I LOVE NY is very proud to have supported this exciting project with a Market New York grant. From discovering the history, science and art of glassmaking, to having the opportunity to make your own glass, the Corning Museum is a must-see attraction that – when paired with local wine tours, state parks and historic sites – makes it so easy to love New York."
Governor Hochul is committed to supporting transformative projects that bolster tourism efforts across New York State. In August, the governor announced that New York had welcomed a record-setting 306.3 million visitors in 2023, while also setting new historic highs for direct visitor spending and total economic impact associated with the state's tourism industry. Visitors to New York State contributed to a record-high $88 billion in direct spending and supported a historic $137 billion in total economic impact across the state.
State Senator Thomas O’Mara said, "The Studio represents an exciting addition to an already world-class attraction and destination at the Corning Museum of Glass. It will significantly strengthen the foundation of the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regional economy as well as the fabric of the local community, create jobs, and generate other vital economic opportunities locally, regionally, and across New York. It's a smart state investment that will provide benefits for generations to come."
State Assemblymember Philip A. Palmesano said, "The Corning Museum of Glass has long been one of New York's top destinations attracting visitors locally and regionally as well as from across our state, nation, and world. The Studio will be an amazing, fantastic, and unparalleled addition that will strengthen the Museum's offerings, enhance local tourism economies, and provide a world-class attraction for artists, and supporters of the arts and culture, in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, across America, and around the globe."
City of Corning Mayor Bill Boland said, “The word community rings through this addition of The Studio to the world class Corning Museum of Glass. It brings together, as communities do, those that made it happen through vision, expertise and funding - including New York State's financial contribution. It melds in new and unprecedented support and resources for artists that will now create with new range. Also joining this community are local residents and visitors from all over the world, now offered a wonderfully enhanced experience in glass making and art. As The Studio opens its doors. this broader community celebrates with the Corning Museum of Glass this exceptional addition to the world of glass.”
To learn more about the Corning Museum of Glass, visit: https://info.cmog.org/.
Accelerating Southern Tier Soaring
Today's announcement complements “Southern Tier Soaring,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on attracting a talented workforce, growing business and driving next-generation innovation. More information is available here.
About Empire State Development
Empire State Development is New York's chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state's 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state's world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook and X.
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