Once purchased, there are NO REFUNDS on class experiences.

If you wish to reschedule your class/event, you must request to do so no less than 14 days before the scheduled class/event.

If you choose to reschedule your class, there will be a $10 rescheduling fee per ticket.  You will receive the remainder of your money back (the purchase total minus the $10 fee per ticket) in the form of an e-gift card.

E-gift cards minus the rescheduling fee will only be issued if requested more than 14 days before the scheduled event.

If you request to reschedule your class/event after the 14-day mark, we will not be able to offer you a reschedule. We suggest giving the class to a friend as a gift. Alternatively, if someone in your group can still make it to the class, they are welcome to create your item for you.

In the case of low enrollment, we reserve the right to cancel any experience up to 48 hours prior to the date of the experience. We will move you into another class without the rescheduling fee.

In the case of poor weather conditions, equipment failure, power outage, or other natural disaster, we reserve the right to cancel any experience. Customers will be rescheduled at no additional cost. Please call the studio at (313) 561-4527 or check the website and/or our Facebook page for the most current updates. There will be a voicemail message on our phone and a post on social media if an experience has been canceled or we are closed.

1. Arriving more than 15 minutes late will result in missing the safety demo and forfeiting your class experience.
2. We do not accept participants or guests younger than 16 for safety and insurance reasons. Participants aged 16 and 17 must turn in a signed parental consent form and have a guardian present during the experience.
3. Closed-toe shoes are required. If you wear open-toe shoes, you will NOT be allowed to participate.

We do not accept participants younger than 16 for safety and insurance reasons. Participants aged 16 and 17 must turn in a signed parental consent form and have a guardian present during the experience. Because this is a hands-on experience, we also cannot accommodate children attending as guests in the hot shop and gallery. All attendees must be over the age of 16 and have ID to prove their age.

Closed-toe shoes are required. If you wear open-toe shoes, you will NOT be allowed to participate.

Do not wear flowing clothing, such as long skirts or shirts with bell sleeves, as these can catch on tools and equipment.

Cotton clothing (or other natural fibers) are recommended; synthetic materials become quite uncomfortable due to the heat of the furnaces.

Our hot shop and gallery are in a warehouse, so keep in mind that the temperature outside is reflected inside—cold in the winter, warm in the summer—dress accordingly. We suggest wearing layers, including a sweater or light jacket, to classes during the winter months. In summer, shorts are ok.

The price of shipping your class piece is covered with your class purchase if you live in the United States and are NOT taking the Happy Hour Class. Please reach out to us before your class begins if you are taking the Happy Hour Class or live outside of the U.S. and wish to receive a shipping estimate for your class piece.

Custom order and Happy Hour Class shipping starts at $15. If the item to be shipped exceeds a normal range of size or destination, additional fees will apply.

International shipping rates vary, and are based on the rates estimated by our shipping provider.  Follow this link to submit an international shipping request: https://www.glassacademy.com/pages/international-shipping-form

For more shipping information, please visit our Shipping Policy page.

We recommend bringing water, tea, or sports drinks. Please stay hydrated, especially during the summer. We also have a beverage cooler with water, soda, sports drinks, etc. available for purchase.

Optional: bring a camera or phone to capture your experience!

Our gallery is wheelchair/scooter accessible. However, if you are looking to attend a class, the glassblowing bench where all of the work will take place unfortunately cannot accommodate wheelchairs or motorized scooters. NOTE: The Happy Hour Class Experience does not require use of the glassblowing bench, and therefore is an accessible class.

Each class requires the ability to handle heat, bend, grip tools, and sit on/get up from a low stool.  We do not recommend taking a class if you cannot do these things easily. However, coming to a class as a guest allows you to watch your friends and family as they work with glass!

If you have more questions about the accessibility of our studio, or have a disability, please give us a call or email us! We would be happy to discuss the accessibility of our studio and try our best to accommodate you within our safety requirements.

We do not allow pets in the studio, unless they are service animals. NOTE: We have a studio kitty that resides in our gallery/studio!

Please park on the street in front of the building. There is plenty of FREE street parking close to the front door. You may park on either side of the street. We also have an overflow parking lot available at the corner of Gulley where our green “Glass Academy” sign is.

We would love for everyone to get the chance to experience the wonder of working with molten glass, so we do our best to provide an overall experience, but some things just don’t translate easily!  Our studio benches are set up for people who are right-handed, and the tools only come in one size, a result of this being a male-dominated craft. We know this is a concern, but rest assured, we’ll do our best to make it work for you!

An interesting side note: Chris Nordin, one of the studio’s founders, is actually left handed. The Italian master who trained him refused to work with someone who didn’t work the glass with their right hand. It took weeks for Chris to adjust to blow right handed, but in the end, it paid off and he can make anything with ease!

We design all of our classes specifically with the student in mind. Each class typically has between 4 and 8 students, depending on the project’s complexity. The best way to learn glassblowing is by watching and then doing it yourself. Our classes are small enough that students can watch and learn from each other, without having to wait too long for their turn.

Arrive a few minutes early to get settled in. Our host will check you in and give you a tour of the gallery. After the tour, one of our instructors will start out by providing you a bit of background information on the process and how to navigate the studio safely. Next comes a demonstration on how the product is crafted: color patterns, shapes, and styles, along with gathering the glass, turning the pipe, and keeping the glass on the punti rod. 

You will see an example of what the finished product will look like. We’ll explain hot shop safety zones, how to sit at the bench and use glass specific tools, then you’ll be ready to roll! Students will then take turns stepping over to the bench to make their glass keepsake using the supplies and colors curated for this class.

Watching others is the best way to learn techniques so be prepared to sit and watch fellow students as they try their hand at glass blowing.  You may go first and be done, or you may be last and will get your turn after the other students have gone. Remember, you’ll learn by watching, so it’s important to watch others and learn how to work with the glass. At times, you’ll participate as a group so be sure to bring your camera. Feel free to ask others to take photos if you attend the class alone!

We base our color choices on the season and rotate them on a regular basis. Our glassblowing instructors will be more than happy to guide you to the perfect color combination for your project!

Your project will need 24 – 48 hours to cool to room temperature, so you will not be able to take your item home immediately after class.

We can ship your glass project directly to your home during the week following your class, or you may pick it up in-person.

No, unfortunately not. There is no guarantee that a specific instructor will be available for your class or event, but know that each of our instructors are insanely talented and bring fun and excitement to the classes they teach!

We call our classes “experiences,” because they give you the opportunity to work with hot molten glass. However, we do not train you to become a glassblower or teach you how to create intricate pieces. Our experiences are all fun, exciting, and entry-level. You will learn a great deal!

We invite you to watch our live glassblowing feeds on our YouTube or TikTok channels, or attend a seasonal show where our glassblowing masters use fancy techniques and special tricks. Those shows happen seven times a year; visit the homepage to find the date of the next seasonal show.

Glassblowing is a difficult art form and takes a lifetime to learn. If you truly want the intensive instruction that will enable you to make glassblowing your hobby or career, we suggest enrolling in an accredited college that teaches glassblowing (such as the College for Creative Studies in Detroit) or finding a studio that can take you on as an apprentice.

Our instructors are trained to assist you in the creation of your glass item, and to recognize how to assist you. We’ve discovered if we let the student do more, sometimes the results are not the best. It’s simply a matter of skill level, and our ultimate goal is to help you create something you love. Our student-to-teacher work ratio on each piece is an ideal balance forged by trial and error over the years. If you tell the instructor you want to experience more shaping, they will let you do it—just ask! Our classes are designed for all skill levels, and are repeatable! You may sign up for the same class again and again. As you learn more and become more comfortable you may get to experience more shaping of the item.