Visual Studies Workshop Announces Project Space Residency Open Application Period

_{Myah Asha Jeffers, Project Space Resident, January 2025}

Rochester, NY (April 23, 2025) Visual Studies Workshop (VSW), the nationally-known nonprofit center dedicated to experimental and expansive approaches to photography, film, and media arts, announced the open application period for its Project Space Residency Program. Applications are due by June 2, 2025.

For more than 50 years VSW has provided time, space and resources for artists from all over the world to expand their practice and continue ongoing projects. VSW supports artists in any stage of their career who are working in photography, film, or media art by offering four-week Project Space Residencies at VSW in Rochester, NY.  Project Space Residency alumni include Sarah Friedland, Aaron Turner, Le’Andra LeSeur, Claudia Claremi, Eduardo Rivera, Shireen Seno and Peggy Ahwesh, among others. 

“The Project Space Residency is a place for artists who are pushing the boundaries of their mediums,” comments Hernease Davis, VSW Assistant Curator. “Whether they are working through ongoing projects or attempting brand new directions, Visual Studies Workshop’s facilities and archive materials are a unique resource that have been a creative catalyst to artists for decades. We are particularly thrilled to welcome resident artists to our new location in Rochester.”

Project Space Residents receive 24/7 access to a private studio, digital printing equipment, and an analog darkroom. They also receive a stipend of $1,000, plus $250 for supplies, a $500 travel budget for those traveling from outside the Rochester region, and accessible housing. All Residents receive the support of VSW’s digital printing technician, program assistants, consultations with curators on staff, and research support in VSW’s collections. Residencies are hosted at VSW’s new, modern, accessible space.

The Project Space Residency also provides opportunities for artists to engage with the public through public lectures and Open Studios. 

Applications are open to U.S. based and international artists working in photography, film or media art. Each year, a jury panel consisting of VSW staff, past resident artists, and guest curators review applications to select up to 16 artists for four-week terms. This year, the guest jurors will be Leandro Villaro, Shana Lopes, and Željka Blakšić AKA Gita Blak (bios below.)

More information and application instructions can be found at vsw.org. Application fee is $10.  Applications are due by June 2, 2025 and applicants will receive notification by August 8, 2025.

About Visual Studies Workshop: _{Visual Studies Workshop nurtures experimental and expansive approaches to photography and media arts, and builds community among artists and the public through exhibitions, publications and residencies. VSW was founded in 1969 in Rochester, NY by artist and curator Nathan Lyons (1930–2016), and became one of the earliest independent, not-for-profit, artist-run spaces in the country. More than 50 years later, the organization’s mission is reflected in its core programs: VSW Salon, Project Space Artist Residencies, and VSW Press. In support of VSW programs, the organization holds photography and moving image research collections and an art library for artists, critics and the general public to explore, research and reuse. vsw.org} 

Juror Bios