Into the Future
Bild-Werk Frauenau e.V., with its International Summer Academy for Glass and Art, was founded in 1987/1988 in the East Bavarian glassmakers’ village of Frauenau. The academy follows the model of the independent US summer schools, and is now firmly established as the European focal point of the International Studio Glass Movement, and the regional glass art scene. Despite its international reputation, however, the institution is clearly underfunded. From its beginning, the survival of the Academy required an above-average voluntary effort and relies on private donations, private loans as well as the synergy effects of funding projects from state and EU funding programs.
Funding by the Alexander Tutsek Foundation
From 2018 to 2020, a three-year funding project financed by the Alexander Tutsek Foundation has enabled Bild-Werk to find and establish new ways of securing the future of the International Summer Academy. In close co-operation of the Board of Directors and the Advisory Panel of Bild-Werk Frauenau the staffing and management situation was improved significantly over the past two years.
In addition, with the proceeds of the biennial benefit auctions for Bild-Werk Frauenau, a substantial part of the academy grounds at Tom's Hall, including workshop and storage buildings, could be purchased in January 2019 in order to secure the infrastructure of the Summer Academy.
In view of the complex academy organisation and the many other activities of Bild-Werk, a good standard has been reached by now. However, the academy still requires a lot of volunteer work. In many workshops equipment and machines need to be renewed, which can only be reached step by step. Nevertheless, Bild-Werk has been stabilised significantly and is no longer, as in previous years, dependent on massive voluntary support by board members, employees and helpers in order to run the courses.
Measures to Securing the Future of Bild-Werk
With the ending of the funding from the Alexander Tutsek Foundation it is paramount to maintain the professional standard reached, in order to secure Bild-Werk on long term and to lead it into a thriving future. For this, it is an indispensable step to adapt the course fees from 2020 on to the standard of comparable summer schools and courses worldwide.
These efforts to improve the economy of the academy are based on an extensive financial analysis carried out in the past months; they are part of a future development concept that will continue to seek state and private funding as well as the development of funding projects. Currently, the board is in discussion with regional politics, funding institutions and cooperation partners in order to develop sustainable funding schemes for the future. The long-term establishment of a start-up program for young glass makers, which was initiated in 2018 within the EU project "Glass Works" with European partner institutions, will also play a special role. In view of the decline of manufacturing knowledge in glass, Bild-Werk has become a recognized and indispensable initiative beyond Eastern Bavaria intended to lead the cultural heritage of glass into the future and across borders.
Bild-Werk Frauenau is recognised by the tax office Straubing as a non-profit institution of education and vocational training including student education.
Funding by the Alexander Tutsek Foundation
From 2018 to 2020, a three-year funding project financed by the Alexander Tutsek Foundation has enabled Bild-Werk to find and establish new ways of securing the future of the International Summer Academy. In close co-operation of the Board of Directors and the Advisory Panel of Bild-Werk Frauenau the staffing and management situation was improved significantly over the past two years.
In addition, with the proceeds of the biennial benefit auctions for Bild-Werk Frauenau, a substantial part of the academy grounds at Tom's Hall, including workshop and storage buildings, could be purchased in January 2019 in order to secure the infrastructure of the Summer Academy.
In view of the complex academy organisation and the many other activities of Bild-Werk, a good standard has been reached by now. However, the academy still requires a lot of volunteer work. In many workshops equipment and machines need to be renewed, which can only be reached step by step. Nevertheless, Bild-Werk has been stabilised significantly and is no longer, as in previous years, dependent on massive voluntary support by board members, employees and helpers in order to run the courses.
Measures to Securing the Future of Bild-Werk
With the ending of the funding from the Alexander Tutsek Foundation it is paramount to maintain the professional standard reached, in order to secure Bild-Werk on long term and to lead it into a thriving future. For this, it is an indispensable step to adapt the course fees from 2020 on to the standard of comparable summer schools and courses worldwide.
These efforts to improve the economy of the academy are based on an extensive financial analysis carried out in the past months; they are part of a future development concept that will continue to seek state and private funding as well as the development of funding projects. Currently, the board is in discussion with regional politics, funding institutions and cooperation partners in order to develop sustainable funding schemes for the future. The long-term establishment of a start-up program for young glass makers, which was initiated in 2018 within the EU project "Glass Works" with European partner institutions, will also play a special role. In view of the decline of manufacturing knowledge in glass, Bild-Werk has become a recognized and indispensable initiative beyond Eastern Bavaria intended to lead the cultural heritage of glass into the future and across borders.
Bild-Werk Frauenau is recognised by the tax office Straubing as a non-profit institution of education and vocational training including student education.
