[cid:image001.png@01D8549A.874D3370] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 20, 2022 Media Contact: April Matson, Museum of Glass 253.284.4732 amatson@museumofglass.org<mailto:amatson@museumofglass.org> Mike Bush, Travel Tacoma 253-307-3225 mike@traveltacoma.com<mailto:mike@traveltacoma.com> MUSEUM OF GLASS AND THE TACOMA TOURISM AND ARTS COMMUNITY PREPARE TO HOST THE 2022 GLASS ART SOCIETY CONFERENCE, MAY 18-21 Immediately following the glass community's greatest gathering, Tacoma will celebrate its tradition in glass with a community festival Tacoma, Wash. - After a two-year delay, Museum of Glass (MOG), Travel Tacoma, and several other community arts and culture organizations will welcome the Glass Art Society (GAS) for their annual international conference May 18-21. Conference events will span downtown Tacoma and include a special new community event, the first annual TAG Festival: Together... in Art and Glass which will take place on May 22. Each year GAS brings together the international community of glass artists, collectors, and enthusiasts for a multi-day conference featuring glass from every discipline. Museum of Glass and Travel Tacoma partnered to bring this year's conference to Tacoma. Originally scheduled for 2020 and delayed due to COVID-19, the 2022 event holds much significance. "It was already noteworthy for Tacoma to host the GAS Conference, but for it to be the first in-person gathering of the community in two years, that makes it even more special," said Debbie Lenk, Executive Director, Museum of Glass. "Glass is part of the soul of this city. Hosting the conference as Museum of Glass celebrates 20 years and the Glass Art Society celebrates its 50th marks a great moment for the Pacific Northwest glass community." This year marks the first time Tacoma, an international center for glass, will host the GAS conference. It provides a unique opportunity for the city to be formally recognized for its influence and place in the glass community. The event will also bring tourism and community activities to downtown. Conference events will take place at MOG, Tacoma Art Museum, Area 253 Glassblowing, Hilltop Artists, LeMay: America's Car Museum, and the Greater Tacoma Convention Center. "Tacoma celebrates glass artists and all artists as they come together in the spirit of community and expression," said Dean Burke, President and CEO, Travel Tacoma. "This partnership and collaboration is a visionary one, ready to welcome the biggest names in the industry to our city." The TAG arts festival, co-led by Travel Tacoma, MOG, and TAM, for which details will be announced shortly, will span downtown and feature local artists, food venders, performers, and more. GAS tickets are available both for the entire duration of the conference and by the day. The full event schedule can be found here<https://www.glassart.org/conference/tacoma-2022/conference-program/>. About Museum of Glass Located in Tacoma, Washington, Museum of Glass is a premier contemporary art museum dedicated to glass and glassmaking in the West Coast's largest and most active museum glass studio. Opened in 2002, the Museum has established a reputation for hosting impactful and engaging artist residencies, organizing nationally traveling exhibitions, and creating unique programs for visitors while building a growing permanent collection chronicling the development of modern and contemporary glass. Museum of Glass provides an environment for artists and the public to ignite creativity, fuel discovery, and enrich their lives through glass and glassmaking. 253.284.4750 Museum of Glass, 1801 Dock Street, Tacoma, WA 98402 www.museumofglass.org<http://www.museumofglass.org> About Travel Tacoma Mt. Rainier Tourism and Sports is the official destination marketing organization for Tacoma and Pierce County, Washington. Accredited by Destinations International. For more information, visit www.traveltacoma.com<http://www.traveltacoma.com>. About Glass Art Society The Glass Art Society (GAS) is an international, non-profit organization founded in 1971 whose mission is to connect, inspire, and empower all facets of the global glass community. The Society strives to stimulate communication among artists, educators, students, collectors, gallery and museum personnel, art critics, manufacturers, and all others interested in and involved with the production, technology, and aesthetics of glass. Our long-term vision is to create one unified glass community.