GlassRoots, the nonprofit glassblowing studio based in Newark, is preparing to move into a new location in Teachers Village as it marks its 25th anniversary. The organization, which teaches classes, hosts community programs and provides studio space for artists, will relocate to a 10,000-square-foot site that doubles its current footprint. The move is expected to be complete by January 2026.
The new space occupies a retail unit that has been vacant for years. According to Executive Director Carol Losos, funding for the project comes from a mix of public and private sources.
Losos said support has included contributions from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s Art Program, Invest Newark and the Newark Retail Reactivation Grant, as well as several private family foundations.
The new studio will feature multiple rooms, including the Hot Shop, the main glassblowing studio; the Cold Working Studio, where glass artwork is sanded, polished, and refined; the Flat Shop, for mosaics and fused glass; the Kiln Room, which houses multiple kilns in one space; the Flame Shop, where fire is used to create artwork; and the Classroom, designed to teach large groups of students at one time in a single space.
Losos said, “It’s amazing what handling hot glass can teach: discipline, cooperation, teamwork, and of course, art skills, and also failure. Glass breaks.”
The new facility will be fully accessible and will allow GlassRoots to accommodate larger classes and community programs. The organization expects to serve close to 10,000 constituents each year once the move is complete, nearly doubling its current reach.
