Light Work announces call for entries for 35th annual Grants in Photography competition

Friday, January 23, 2009, By News Staff

Jessica Heckman
(315) 443-1300

Light Work has announced the 35th Annual Light Work Grants in Photography competition. Light Work began offering grants to Central New York artists in 1975 to encourage the production of new photographic work in the region.

Three, $2,000 grants will be awarded to photographers, critics or photo-historians who reside within an approximate 50-mile radius of Syracuse. The recipients of these grants are invited to display their work in a special exhibition at the Light Work Gallery, and their work will also be reproduced in Light Work’s award-winning publication, Contact Sheet.

In its 35-year history, our grant program has supported 110 artists, some multiple times. With the help of the regional grant, they were able to continue long-term projects, purchase equipment, frame photographs for exhibitions, promote their work, collaborate with others or otherwise continue their artistic goals.

Light Work is a nonprofit, artist-run photography organization and imaging center located in Syracuse. The organization is dedicated to helping artists who work in photography and related media, and supports artists from all over the world through its exhibitions, publications and Artist-in-Residence program.

All applications must be postmarked or delivered to Light Work by March 31. 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 from outside the grant region 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 prior to 2005 are eligible to reapply. Full-time students are not eligible for this competition. Grantees will be notified of the results by May 15.

Application forms are available at Light Work or online at http://www.lightwork.org/grants/

To request an application or to obtain further information, contact Light Work at 443-1300, or write to: Light Work, 316 Waverly Ave., Syracuse, NY 13244.