International Bead + Jewellery Biennale

The International Bead and Jewellery Biennale is one of the foremost opportunities in the world for beadmakers and glass jewellery artists to showcase their craft to an international audience. This year marks a significant milestone for the exhibition, as it expands for the first time to include jewellery alongside beadwork, reflecting the growing number of artists who work across both disciplines and the remarkable creative possibilities that arise when glass is used in wearable art. Held at The World of Glass in St Helens, the Biennale welcomes artists, designers, craftspeople, and students of all nationalities, with all glassmaking techniques represented and glass as the key design element throughout.

The 2026 exhibition is a juried show, with entries assessed by a distinguished international panel of glass artists, curators, and specialists in bead and jewellery making. Submitted works must be predominantly made of glass, though other materials may be incorporated, and all pieces must be original works rather than part of a production line. The resulting exhibition is a celebration of skill, imagination, and innovation — demonstrating just how far artists around the world are pushing the boundaries of what glass can do when worked at the smallest and most intimate of scales.

A full list of the participating artists in this year’s Biennale can be found below. Details on their individual pieces will be shared closer to the exhibition opening date in August. Information about the jurors who selected the exhibition — and the expertise and perspectives they each brought to the selection process — can also be found below.

We hope to welcome you in person to The World of Glass in St Helens this summer to enjoy this exhibition.