Light Work Receives 2018 NEA Art Works Grant
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Jane Chu announced on Wednesday, February 7 that Light Work is one of 936 not-for-profit national, regional, state, and local organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. In its first 50 years, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded more than $5 billion in grants to recipients in every state and U.S. jurisdiction.
Today, the NEA announced awards totaling more than $25 million in its first major funding announcement of the fiscal year 2018, including an Art Works award of $40,000 to Light Work to support Light Work’s Artist-in-Residence Program and production of Contact Sheet: The Light Work Annual. The Art Works category focuses on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts.
“It is energizing to see the impact that the arts are making throughout the United States. These NEA-supported projects, such as this one to Light Work, are good examples of how the arts build stronger and more vibrant communities, improve well-being, prepare our children to succeed, and increase the quality of our lives,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “At the National Endowment for the Arts, we believe that all people should have access to the joy, opportunities, and connections the arts bring.”
Light Work’s director Shane Lavalette commented, “Thanks to the National Endowment for the Art’s sustaining support of our residency program, we are able to offer today’s emerging and under-recognized artists the time, space, and resources they need to develop their important new work. We’re continually grateful to the NEA for their recognition of Light Work as one of the leading arts organizations in the country.”
Every year Light Work invites between twelve and fifteen artists to come to Syracuse to devote one month to creative projects. Over 400 artists have participated in Light Work’s Artist-in-Residence Program, and many of them have gone on to achieve international acclaim. The residency includes a $5,000 stipend, a furnished artist apartment, 24-hour access to our 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.
For more information on projects included in the NEA grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.
To learn more about the 2018 Artists-in-Residence, read our announcement on the Light Work Blog.
To become a supporter of Light Work yourself, consider making a contribution by beginning or renewing your subscription. We encourage you to help us achieve our goal of matching the NEA’s generous support. Contribute today and get something back in return. Browse limited-edition prints, signed books, and Contact Sheet at www.lightwork.org/shop
All subscriptions will assure that you receive the NEA-supported issue of Contact Sheet: The Light Work Annual 2018 next summer. Preview spreads from Contact Sheet 192: Light Work Annual 2017 online here.
