Light Work Grants

The Light Work Grants in Photography program was established in 1975 to support artists working in Central New York. The $3,000 grants are awarded to encourage the development of ongoing projects and the creation of new work. The work of the grant recipients is exhibited at Light Work and reproduced in Contact Sheet: The Light Work Annual.

Light Work Grants in Photography

Light Work is pleased to announce the 2025 Light Work Grants in Photography competition. Light Work began offering grants to CNY artists in 1975 to encourage the production of new photographic work in the region. Three $3,000 grants will be awarded to photographers who reside within an approximate 50-mile radius of Syracuse, N.Y. The recipients of these grants are invited to display their work in a special exhibition at Light Work, and their work will also be reproduced in Light Work’s award-winning publication, Contact Sheet: The Light Work Annual.

In its 50-year history, Light Work Grants have supported more than 110 artists, some multiple times. With the help of the regional grant, many artists have been able to continue long term projects, purchase equipment, frame photographs for exhibitions, promote their work, collaborate with others or otherwise continue their artist goals.

All applicants must reside in of one of the following Central New York counties: Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Schuyler, Seneca, St. Lawrence, Tioga or Tompkins.

Three judges will review the applications. Their decisions are based solely on the strength of the candidate’s portfolio and completed application. Individuals who received this award in 2021 or earlier are eligible to re-apply. Full-time students are not eligible.

If selected, curation will take place from images in your application. Please apply with works you are prepared to show in the Jeffrey J. Hoone Gallery at Light Work.

Applicants will receive an email confirming that we have received the application. If you have any questions about the application process, you may write to info@lightwork.org.

The deadline for the 2025 Light Work Grants is April 1, 2025. Apply online at http://lightwork.slideroom.com

Grants History

2024
Malik Abdoulmoumine, Rosely Htoo, Kari Varner
Jury: Sydney Ellison, Lacey McKinney, Darin Mickey

2023
Amy Kozlowski, Tahila Mintz, and Linda Moses
Jury: Ally Caple, Kris Graves, Kelsey Sucena

2022
Carlton Daniel, Jr., Lacey McKinney, and Sarah Phyllis Smith
Jury: Ryan Arthurs, Tara Johnson

2021
Carla Liesching, Jessica Magallanes Martinez, Paul Pearce
Jury: Ryan Arthurs, Ashlyn Davis, Courtney Reid-Eaton

2020
Ben Cleeton, Christine Elfman, Hans Gindlesberger
Jury: Russell Lord, Jacqui Palumbo, Aaron Turner

2019
Trevor Clement, Lali Khalid, Reka Reisinger
Jury: Kimberly Drew, Eve Lyons, David Oresick

2018
Nydia Blas, Michelle Gabel, Jerry Lim
Jury: Kris Graves, Quiana Mestrich, Allyson Torrisi

2017
Mary Helena Clark, Joe Librandi-Cowan, Stephanie Mercedes
Jury: Jacqueline Bates, Kottie Gaydos, Charles Guice

2016
Robert Knight, Lida Suchy, Marion Wilson
Jury: Kalia Brooks, Elizabeth Cheng Krist, Sarah Stolfa

2015
Allison Beondé, Thilde Jensen, Costa Sakellariou
Jury: Larissa Leclair, Ryan Linkof, Todd J. Tubutis

2014
Trevor Clement, Sebastian Collett, Dan Wetmore
Jury: Natasha Egan, Taj Forer, Paul Moakley

2013
Laura Heyman, Jared Landberg, Janice Levy
Jury: Christopher Gianunzio, Akemi Hiatt, Chuck Mobley

2012
Dennis Krukowski, Tice Lerner, Sayler/Morris
Jury: Jamie M. Allen, Bleu Cease, Sean Donaher

2011
Neil Chowdhury, Danielle Mericle, Ahndraya Parlato
Jury: Adam Magyar, Tate Shaw, Michael Tummings

2010
Yasser Aggour, Ron Jude, Lida Suchy
Jury: Sharon Bates, Shawn Records, Brian Ulrich

2009
Karen Brummund, Laura Adams Guth, Stephen Shaner
Jury: Richard Gray, Gina Murtagh, Demetrius Oliver

2008
Kathy Morris, Paul Pearce, Nancy Keefe Rhodes
Jury: Dennis DeHart, Cristina Fraire, John Clark Mayden

2007
Brantley Carroll, Ella Gant, David Moore
Jury: Myra Greene, Keith Johnson, Angelika Rinnhofer

2006
Laura Heyman, Thilde Jensen, Rishi Singhal
Jury: Lonnie Graham, Lisa Robinson, Marni Shindelman

2005
Luke Buffenmyer, Doug DuBois, Stephen Skopik
Director’s Choice Award: Dale Pierce, Gary Walts
Jury: Kanako Sasaki, Martin Kollár, Katharine Kreisher

2004
Barry Perlus, Harry Littell & Lois Barden, Mark Hemendinger
Jury: Chris Burnett, Lauren Tent, Alex Harsley

2003
John Dowling, Rhea Green, Wilka Roig
Jury: Deborah Jack, Julio Grinblatt, Sunil Gupta

2002
Vivian Babuts, Julie Magura, JP Crangle & Chad Reagan
Jury: Alessandra Sanguinetti, Martin Weber, Ariel Shanberg

2001
Sylvia de Swaan, Ron Jude, Kim Waale
Jury: Lori Nix, Iosif Kiraly

2000
Michael Patrick Demmy, Doug DuBois, Carol Golemboski
Jury: Vincent Cianni, Dinh Q. Lê

1999
David Moore, Karen La Vallee Norton, Thomas Piche Jr.
Jury: Ingrid Pollard, Lewis Watts, Keith Johnson

1998
Mike Greenlar, Dede Hatch, Janice Levy
Jury: Bill Gaskins, Margaret Stratton, Bill McDowell

1997
Mark Alice Durant, Mary Beth Heffernan, Mary Warner Marien
Jury: Therese Mulligan, Robert Flynt

1996
Vincent Borrelli, Gina Murtagh, Adrienne Salinger
Jury: Gail Nicholson, Rick Hock, Deborah Bright

1995
Brett Booth, Sarah Cunningham, Linn Underhill, Emile Wamsteker
Jury: Bob Hirsch, Nathan Lyons, Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie

1994
Brantley Carroll, Rhea Green, David Moore, Diane Nerwen
Jury: Carlos Gutierrez-Solana, Coco Fusco, Patti Ambrogi

1993
Eleanor Hassett, Heidi Kumao, Stephen Skopik
Jury: Kerry Coppin, Bob Hirsch, Lynne Love

1992
Sherry Chayat, Sylvia de Swaan, Michael Greenlar, Allyn Stewart
Jury: Gail Nicholson, Detlef Henrichs

1991
Laura Cano Blanco, Darrell Matsumoto, Jon Reis, William Staffield
Jury: Karl Beveridge, Hilton Braithwaite, Carole Conde

1990
Vincent Borrelli, Nancy Conchar, Jason Mahshie, Christian Sunde
Jury: Marion Faller, Sydney Waller, James Wyman

1989
Thirza Devlin, Stephen Mahan III, Mary Warner Marien, Adrienne Salinger
Jury: Francois Deschamps, Lorraine Kenny, John Wood

1988
Courtney Frisse, Marie Parsons, Roderick L. Sutton, Bruce Wrighton
Jury: Mona Jimenez, April Hickox, Tyrone Georgiou

1987
Luke Buffenmyer, Margaret Fabrizio, Jeff Koch, Priscilla Smith
Jury: Tony Bannon, Scott McCarney, Colleen Kenyon

1986
Tom Brown, Kathy Morris, Doug Prince, Lynn Schwarzer
Jury: Cheryl Brutvan, Ginna Moseson, Roger Freeman

1985
Rita Deierlein, John Fuller, Rosemarie Imhoff, Keith Tishken
Jury: Brian Ogelsbee, David Trend, Kathleen Kenyon

1984
Delia Hatch Baroni, Ellen M. Blalock, Monte Gerlach, Don Tracy
Jury: Robin Dodds, Nancy Gonchar, Roger Williams

1983
Jane Bair, John Knecht, Lorna Lentini, Laurie Sieverts Snyder
Jury: Gary Nickard, Don Russell, Judy Natal

1982
Susan Brodie, Michael Davis, Ted Diamond, Janice Giarracco, David Moore
Jury: Martin Benjamin, Susan Shaw, Christina Yuin

1981
F-Stop Fitzgerald (aka Richard Minissali), Robert Foster, Paul Pearce, Jane Steverwald
Jury: Bonnie Gordon, Rick Hock, Biff Henrich

1980
Dean Abramson, Jeffrey Hoone, Marian Roth, Karen Vournans
Jury: Robert Bretz, Kathy Collins, Colleen Kenyon

1979
Judy Ivry, Jon Reis, Marjorie Tepper, James Thorpe
Jury: Bob Hower, Michaela Murphy, Joel Swartz

1978
David Broda, Mima Cataldo, Lucinda Devlin, Richard Laughlin

1977
Sylvia de Swaan-Ames, Peter Glendinning, Ken Hobart, The Idyllic Foundation
Jury: Helen Brunner, Jill Freedman, Cal Kowal

1976
Cecil Dorman, Marion Faller, Jules Fried, Rita Hammond
Jury: Ron MacNeill, Melissa Shook, Jeffrey Silverthorne

1975
Karl Baden, Ben Levine, Warren Wheeler