2026 Light Work Artist-in-Residence Program

Selected artists will join a one-month art residency in Syracuse, New York, including a $5,000 stipend, a furnished artist apartment, 24-hour access to state-of-the-art facilities, and generous staff support.

Overview

Light Work invites between twelve and fifteen artists to Syracuse to devote one month to creative projects every year. Over 400 artists have participated in Light Work’s Artist-in-Residence Program, and many of them have gone on to achieve international acclaim.

Light Work’s Artist-in-Residence program is in partnership with Autograph ABP and the Darryl Chappel Foundation.

Practical Info

The international residency program is open to all artists working in photography or image-based media, from any country. Full-time students are not eligible to participate in the residency program. Applicants must submit a short bio, an artist statement/work description, a letter of intent describing what their plans are for a month-long residency, a CV, and 10-20 images portfolio. Plus, they are welcome to upload additional documents including letters of recommendation, relevant press or publications. Additional documents are entirely optional and do not significantly impact the review of your application.

The residency includes a $5,000 stipend, a furnished artist apartment, 24-hour access to their state-of-the-art facilities, and generous staff support. Work by each Artist-in-Residence is published in a special edition of Contact Sheet: The Light Work Annual, along with an essay commissioned by Light Work. Work by former Artists-in-Residence is also part of the Light Work Collection.

About Light Work

Light Work was founded as an artist-run, non-profit organization in 1973. Its mission is to provide direct support through residencies, publications, exhibitions, a community-access digital lab facility, and other related projects to emerging and under-represented artists working in the media of photography and digital imaging. Over 400 artists from every state and over fifty countries have been selected to participate in its renowned Artist-in-Residence Program. The program exemplifies Light Work's primary goal of supporting artists.