OPPORTUNITIES AT LIGHT WORK/COMMUNITY DARKROOMS

Light Work offers many opportunities for groups and individuals to become involved with the photography at an entry level. Free tours can include gallery talks and facility tours. Other opportunities can include volunteering, participating in an internships, or attending exhibition receptions and TH3 nights. Programming and special photography classes can be customized to fit the group. Collaborative programs with schools and community groups can be created.

Opportunities for artists can be found on Light Work's artist support page.

LIGHT WORK/COMMUNITY DARKROOMS TOURS

Light Work invites you to experience its galleries and contemporary facilities on a guided tour by its knowledgeable staff members. Light Work features multiple exhibitions at a time, and groups who come for tours can receive gallery talks about current exhibitions, learn the history of Light Work, and view the state-of-the-art traditional and digital photography labs at Community Darkrooms. Please see the information below to tailor a visit specifically for your needs, and to find out how to schedule your group tours.

General Information

Light Work's gallery talks and guided tours are available for groups of all ages. From elementary school to college students, our tours give students a chance to experience, appreciate, and understand contemporary photography. A guided visit to Light Work includes a tour of our state-of-the-art photographic darkroom and digital imaging center as well as information on the history of our organization and our current exhibitions. Pre-visit information and teacher packets are available to enhance your experience. In addition, tours can include introductions to our permanent collection, which is fully accessible online.

Group size is limited to 20 students. Larger groups may reserve two consecutive sessions. To schedule a tour call Mary Lee Hodgens, Program Manager, 315-443-5785. Please contact us at least two weeks in advance of when you would like to visit. The fall is the busiest time for tours at Light Work. All tours are free.

Gallery Talks: Details

The Light Work staff offers groups a customized gallery talk about the exhibitions on view in the gallery spaces.   These mini-lectures take place directly in the gallery, and during the talk groups receive information about the photographs, the artist, as well as learn about the history and mission of Light Work as an organization dedicated to supporting artists working in photography and electronic media.

Facility Tours: Details

The Light Work and Community Darkrooms staff invite all visitors, both in tour groups and individual, to ask for a guided tour of our traditional and digital photography labs and photography studio. The staff is happy to show you around and answer any questions you may have about membership, courses and workshops, digital printing, and anything else that comes to mind.  

School Groups

Light Work understands that learning, especially in the art world, thrives with the opportunity to step outside of the classroom. In this spirit, Light Work offers school groups, including K-12 level students as well as college and university students, the opportunity to visit and receive a gallery talk and tour of the facilities. Teachers and professors are also invited to bring their students to the gallery and discuss works of art on their own if they would prefer. Whether you would like a tour or just to bring your class to see our exhibit without a staff member giving a gallery talk, please call to schedule a visit.

OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED AT LIGHT WORK/COMMUNITY DARKROOMS

Volunteering

Light Work/Community Darkrooms welcomes Syracuse University students and Syracuse community members who wish to volunteer at our facilities. People with interest and experience in photography can work in a variety of capacities, including installation of exhibitions, darkroom assistance for school programs, and working with the Friends of Community Darkrooms organization, among other opportunities.

Internships

Internships are available during fall, spring, and summer semesters at both Light Work and Community Darkrooms. Students interested in completing an internship, particularly those who are studying photography and/or digital media, are invited to apply for our internship program. Please send a resume and cover letter describing your experience and why you are interested in Light Work/Community Darkrooms to info@lightwork.org.

Receptions and TH3

Light Work invites community members to attend its gallery receptions, which provide an evening to celebrate the exhibitions on view and meet the artists. These receptions are free and open to the public. In addition, on the third Thursday of every month, Light Work/Community Darkrooms stays open late to participate in the Syracuse-wide program which keeps art spaces and galleries open late with a free shuttle running between them. For more information please visit the TH3 website at th3syracuse.com.

Customized Photography Workshops

Light Work/Community Darkrooms offers a variety of photographic workshops for students and groups of all ages. These workshops are scheduled in addition to our regular courses. Past examples include Literacy through Photography Polaroid workshops, photogram workshops, and pinhole camera workshops. Light Work/Community Darkrooms can customize a course or workshop for your group, such as a recent course for home-school students that we developed upon request.

COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMS WITH SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS

Light Work/Community Darkrooms has provided photography programs for several schools in Central New York, including Nottingham High School, Edward Smith Elementary School, Salem-Hyde Elementary School, and West Genesee High School, as well as community groups like the Boys and Girls Club, the Jewish Community Center, and Girls, Inc., among others.

Light Work/Community Darkrooms works collaboratively with these groups to find funding, through organizations like the Partners for Arts Education (http://www.arts4ed.org), Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts, Burton Blatt Institute, and Syracuse University's Partnership for Better Education. For more information on these programs contact Mary Lee Hodgens at 315-443-5785.