Pilchuck Glass School is an informal fine arts education center offering intensive residential instruction during the summer months. It is not an accredited degree-or certificate-conferring institution therefore you cannot enroll at Pilchuck. To participate in Pilchuck courses, you must apply for admission to and be accepted for a specific course. If you are interested in pursuing a fine arts degree in glass, you should research the various art schools, colleges, and universities offering certificates and degrees in glass.

Participation in Pilchuck courses is by application only. The summer session course catalogue typically becomes available in December. The deadline to receive applications for the following summer is February 20th. Applicants are notified of acceptance in early April and the first summer session begins in mid May.
The course catalogue describes course content, level of experience required, and application requirements. Some Pilchuck courses are appropriate for people with no prior glassblowing experience; many more courses require previous experience in two- or three-dimensional art or previous glass experience. Admission for beginning courses is determined by a computer-generated random lottery. Admission for intermediate and advanced courses is determined by a juried review of slides submitted by applicants.

Pilchuck offers five consecutive 17-day residential sessions, with each session comprised of five concurrent courses. In order to enhance the experience, Pilchuck courses are limited to 10 people in each class. Because each session’s courses run concurrently all day, every day, students cannot take more than one course per session. Courses vary from session to session and from summer to summer, depending upon instructor availability and the programming goals of Pilchuck’s Artistic Director. In addition to the hot glass courses, Pilchuck’s offerings include hot casting, kiln casting, sandcasting, pâte de verre, mosaic, stained glass, flameworking, and neon. But Pilchuck emphasizes more than technique. Courses are designed to foster experimental and explorative learning.

Pilchuck Glass School-only offers courses during the summer months and has been program since its inception. Visit the Educational Program page to view current summer course listings.

Undergraduate college credit for work completed at Pilchuck may be obtained through the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. Arrangements to receive credit must be made prior to beginning your course at Pilchuck as Cornish College of the Arts will not award credit retroactively. For further information, call the Registrar for Cornish College of the Arts at 206.323.1400

The artworks created at Pilchuck belong to the artists who make them. Much of the work made at Pilchuck is experimental and can be seen at a later date in exhibitions and galleries throughout the world. Pilchuck Glass School does not sell artists’ work nor represent artists in a gallery setting. There is no “seconds” shop or “factory” that produces work. The campus gallery is for use by students, staff, faculty, and Artists in Residence for educational and inspirational purposes.
If you are interested in beginning or building a collection of art in glass, you should include Pilchuck's Annual Auction in your calendar. Scheduled this year for October 30, 2008; the Auction is a black-tie gala featuring over 260 works of glass by established and emerging glass artists from around the world. For more information on the Auction and the four-day Auction Tour for out-of-town guests, email Carol Bobanick, Special Events Manager, at CBobanick@Pilchuck.com. You may also want to visit the Resources page for a list of galleries, museums, and other locations where glass art can be seen and purchased in the Seattle area.

Pilchuck is a unique artist-centered community, deliberately removed from the hustle and bustle of modern living. The innovation, risk-taking, and magic that occur at Pilchuck happen because we are able to keep the everyday world at bay. Pilchuck opens its doors to the public during its annual Open House, typically scheduled for the last Sunday in July, during which over one thousand people visit the campus to observe artist demonstrations, view the staff art show in the campus gallery, and tour Pilchuck’s studios. Visit the Events section for more information.
One of the many benefits of supporting Pilchuck Glass School through the Pilchuck Society is the opportunity to participate in Pilchuck Society Day, typically held in mid May. Members’ Day enables Pilchuck Society members to visit Pilchuck to observe artists at work in the various studios, see special demonstrations, and to avoid the crowds associated with the Open House. For more information, visit the Pilchuck Society page.

Pilchuck opens its doors to cultural, civic, and social groups for one week each spring prior to the beginning of the summer session. Poleturners are busy preparing auction centerpieces and Hauberg Fellows are on campus creating their unique works of art in glass during Spring Tour Week. Groups ranging in size from ten to 45 people may arrange for a Spring Tour which includes a guided campus tour, an opportunity to observe artists at work, and the chance to learn more about the past and future of one of the Pacific Northwest’s cultural icons. Tours conclude with tea and treats and, weather permitting, an unparalleled view of the Skagit River delta from the Pilchuck Lodge. Tour costs are $30 per person. Space is limited, therefore advance reservations are required. Visit the Events section for more information.

The Pilchuck Society is a recognition society made up of those generous individuals who provide annual support for all of Pilchuck Glass School’s artistic and educational programs. Founded in 1981 by several Seattle community leaders, arts patrons, and friends of the school, the Pilchuck Society was envisioned as a vehicle to sustain Pilchuck Glass School and to support the burgeoning studio glass movement. After nearly quarter of a century, it continues to fulfill its original mission. Pilchuck Society members receive an invitation for a special visit to campus during the spring, advance notice of and invitations to Pilchuck special events, and much more. For more information about making an annual gift to Pilchuck Glass School and becoming a member of the Pilchuck Society, please visit the Pilchuck Society page.