Glassbarge

Client: Corning Museum of Glass

OVERVIEW

This bold tourism initiative celebrated the 150th anniversary of glassblowing moving from Brooklyn to Corning, New York. Inspired by the canal boats that carried the precious glassblowing equipment of Brooklyn Flint Glass Company, this sesquicentennial event was a visionary recreation of the original: placing a hot glass shop on a barge built to welcome an audience at each port. Towed by a historic tug boat, GlassBarge made its way from Brooklyn Pier 6, up along the Hudson, across the Erie Canal, and down to the Finger Lakes. 

HOW WE MADE IT POSSIBLE

Dana Cook & Co. helped secure $1.5 million in state and private grants and corporate sponsorships for infrastructure marketing and programming.

THE RESULTS

✔️ Glassbarge made 30 waterfront stops on its 705-mile journey.

✔️ The floating glass shop welcomed over 50,000 visitors in 488 shows.

✔️ 16 glassmakers participated in 123 days of demonstrations.

✔️ 425 news stories and 15 morning shows highlighted the initiative.

✔️ 525,053 people engaged about GlassBarge through Facebook alone.

✔️ Lasting nonprofit and government partnerships were formed, forged, and sustained.

✔️ Glassbarge won $750k in New York State grant funding.

✔️ 111 organizations and companies provided additional sponsorship support.

"Dana brings a remarkable level of enthusiasm and dedication to an organization. Her positive attitude is infectious and serves to inspire others around her. Dana is a connector. She easily engages stakeholders, supporters, and team members to get behind an initiative, and work together to achieve a common goal." — Rob Cassetti, Senior Director of The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY