Since its beginning in 1973, Light Work has stayed focused on its mission to support artists. Founded and led by artists, it continues to grow with the needs of fellow artists.
Artist-in-Residence program
Every year Light work
invites between twelve and fifteen artists to come
to Syracuse
to devote one month to creative projects. Over three
hundred artists have participated in the AIR program,
many of whom have since achieved international acclaim.
The residency includes a $4,000 stipend, a furnished
artist apartment, 24-hour access to our state-of-the-art
darkroom and digital facilities, and generous staff
support. Work by each Artist-in-Residence is published
in a special
edition of Contact Sheet, The Light Work Annual. Contact
Sheet is a beautiful publication that is sent to over
four thousand art lovers, museums, galleries and libraries
in over thirty-two countries. Applications are accepted
throughout the year.
Learn more about our AIR program
Annual Light Work Grants in Photography
These regional
grants recognize artists living in and around Syracuse.
Applicants from seventeen counties are invited to
apply. Every year, Light Work awards three $2,000
grants.
Work by recipients is exhibited at Light Work and
published in the Light Work Annual. The deadline
to apply is
late
March of every year.
Exhibitions
The main gallery at Light Work features four large cutting-edge exhibitions per
year. Recent artists have included John Gossage, Nathan Lyons, Judy Natal,
Carrie Mae Weems, Dawoud Bey, and many more. Each exhibition is accompanied
by an exhibition catalogue, Contact Sheet, and is featured on Light Work's
web site. Our other exhibition venues showcase a medley of art in our hallway
gallery, darkroom gallery, the Robert B. Menschel Gallery, and our hi-tech
plasma display.
See current and
past
exhibitions
Light Work Collection
Light Work's art collection features around 3,000 works of art and is fully
searchable online. This collection adds to artists' visibility and is
accessed especially by art lovers, researchers, curators, educators, and students.
A new online feature allows easy searches of the collection, creation of a
personal selection of work through the "My Favorites" feature and
the creation of a slide show from this selection. Search results may be shared
and emailed.




