Entries sought for 37th annual Light Work Grants in Photography

Thursday, February 17, 2011, By Jessica H. Reed

Light Work has announced the 37th annual Light Work Grants in Photography competition. The organization 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 photohistorians 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 37-year history, the grant program has 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. Laura Adams Guth, 2009 Light Work Grant recipient, used her grant award to purchase a new computer to continue her photographic work. Karen Brummund, who also received a grant in 2009, used her grant to purchase 10,000 sheets of copy paper to continue with her installation-based photographic project. Nancy Keefe Rhodes, 2008 grant recipient, utilized her award to fund the printing of an exhibition and catalogue.

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 2007 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 (315) 443-1300, or write to: Light Work, 316 Waverly Ave., Syracuse, N.Y. 13244.