Light Work to Receive $25,000 Grant from NEA

The National Endowment for the Arts has approved Light Work for a $25,000 Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) award in the Visual Arts category. Light Work is extremely proud to be among 1,248 projects across America totaling $28,840,000 that were selected to receive this first round of FY 2022 funding. The Grant will directly support Light Work’s renowned residency program, offering support and visibility to emerging and under-recognized artists working in photography and image-based media.

Each year, following an international call for submissions, Light Work selects twelve to fifteen artists for a one-month residency to pursue creative projects. To date, more than 500 artists have participated in the residency program, and many have gone on to achieve international acclaim.

This grant signals national recognition that champions Light Work’s nearly 50-year legacy of advocacy through exhibitions, publication of Contact Sheet, a state-of-the-art community-access digital services lab, and permanent Collection comprising more than 4,000 photo-related objects and images.

“We are honored by this generous recognition from the NEA,” said Dan Boardman, Light Work’s director. “This funding helps us continue to create transformative moments for artists, gallery visitors, students, educators, and the public during this tenuous time in the arts community.”
Patron considers works by 2021 Light Work Grants recipient Paul Pearce at October opening reception


GAP awards reach communities in all parts of the country, large and small, and with diverse cultural and economic backgrounds. These awards represent fifteen artistic disciplines and fields: Artist Communities, Arts Education, Dance, Design, Folk & Traditional Arts, Literary Arts, Local Arts Agencies, Media Arts, Museums, Music, Musical Theater, Opera, Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works, Theater, and Visual Arts. Light Work extends our congratulations to all of the 2022 GAP Grants recipients for their great contributions in the field.

“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support arts projects that help support the community’s creative economy,” said Ann Eilers, NEA’s acting chair. “Light Work in Syracuse, New York, is among the arts organizations nationwide that are using the arts as a source of strength, a path to well-being, and providing access and opportunity for people to connect and find joy through the arts. The supported projects demonstrate how the arts are a source of strength and well-being for communities and individuals, and can open doors to conversations that address complex issues of our time.”

For more information on other projects included in the Arts Endowment grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

About The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
Congress established the NEA in 1965 as the independent federal agency whose funding and support allow Americans to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the skills in every community across America. Visit Arts.gov​ to learn more.