Visual Studies Workshop (VSW) seeks residency proposals from emerging photographic artists living full-time in the greater Rochester region for its Regional Workspace Residency. The Greater Rochester region includes the following counties: Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates counties.

The Regional Workspace Residents, with the guidance of VSW Staff, will develop photographic projects over a period of 3-months along with a culminating presentation event to occur during the following month. The Regional Workspace Residency is a program that supports emerging photographers based in the Rochester, NY region with tailored residencies to help them expand their photographic practice and to provide professional development opportunities.

Selected photographic artists will develop detailed project and budget plans, and professional development goals (i.e. crafting an artist statement/CV, website or portfolio development, portfolio review preparation). Selected artists will be provided with $1000 stipend for supplies and $1000 project-related travel. Residents will be given access to the VSW workroom and darkroom and time with VSW staff dedicated to helping complete professional development goals, feedback on their photographic project and to plan a culminating presentation of the residency project. The Regional Workspace Resident, with guidance of VSW Staff, will determine what form their culminating presentation will take (i.e. artist talk, work installation, workshop, etc).

One proposal will be selected per cycle, which consists of a 3-month workspace residency and a culminating program that will take place the following month. Applicants will be considered for both cycles and their preference will be taken into account. Accepted applicants, however, are not guaranteed their first choice. VSW Staff will do our best to accommodate schedules. 

The Regional Workspace Residency cycles will take place during the following periods:

Cycle 1: June 1st through August 31st (Culminating event in September 2026)

Cycle 2: September 14th through December 14th (Culminating event in January 2027)

Call opens: February 12, 2026

Deadline: April 9, 2026

Notification: On or before May 1, 2026

Guidelines and FAQs

• Submit a 500 word proposal that describes your artistic practice and the project you will work on at VSW.
• Please submit samples of recent works made within the past 3 years in the form of jpegs.
• A bio of no more than 100 words.
• Collaborations are welcome and, in the case of a collaborative proposal, an additional 100-word bio and web links for proposed collaborators may be submitted. Both collaborators must be living full-time in the greater Rochester region. Honorariums are split between the collaborators
• All submissions must be made through submittable.com.
• Eligibility is open to early-career photographic artists who live full-time within the Greater Rochester region, which includes the following counties: Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates counties. 
• Only one proposal per applicant.
• The deadline for submissions is April 9, 2026 at 11:59pm Eastern Time.

Accepted media for work samples

• Up to 15 still images.
• Each image must be at least 72 dpi
• Final file size must be between 4-5MB
• Up to 10 minutes of moving image material

Contact Hernease Davis -- herneasedavis@vsw.org if you have questions.

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 envisions a society that values the human need to create and share ideas.

VSW Regional Workspace Residencies are supported by the Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation.

Visual Studies Workshop (VSW) seeks residency proposals from artists for its Project Space.  VSW supports artists in any stage of their career who are working in photography, film, or media art by offering 4 week Project Space Residencies at VSW in Rochester, NY. Project Space Residents receive 24/7 access to a private studio, digital printing equipment and an analog darkroom. They also receive a stipend of $1000, plus $250 for supplies, and a $500 travel budget for those traveling from outside the Rochester region.   

We provide accessible housing for national/international artists. All of our Residents receive the support of VSW’s digital printing technician, program assistants, consultations with curators on staff and research support in VSW’s collections. The Project Space Residency also provides opportunities for artists to engage with the public through public lectures and Open Studios.    

VSW welcomes applications from both 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 12 artists for 4-week terms and one 2-week term in August.     

This round of residencies will be scheduled from January 2027 through December 2027. 

The Project Space provides artists the opportunity to experiment with new work, new display strategies, and to have discussions with critics, curators, VSW staff, and the community-at-large about works-in-progress. An introductory event within the VSW community and a public talk or open studio are organized to engage the public with the visiting artist’s work and ideas.   

Call opens: March 30, 2026 

Deadline: May 18, 2026

Notification: Late June/Early July 

Guidelines and FAQs 

• Submit a 250-500 word proposal that describes your artistic practice and the project you will work on at VSW.
• Please submit samples of recent works made within the past 3 years in the form of still images, moving image pieces, documentation of installations or writing samples where applicable to the work.
• You MUST include a first and second choice of month for the residency. Note that summer months are very highly requested due to the number of educators who apply. 
• A bio of no more than 100 words with a website link.
• Collaborations are welcome and, in the case of a collaborative proposal, an additional 100-word bio and web links for proposed collaborators may be submitted. Collaborators from outside the Western NY region in need of housing need to be comfortable residing in the artist apartment together or find housing on their own. 
• The artist accommodation is located within walking distance from VSW in Rochester's Susan B. Anthony neighborhood. Free parking is available.  The apartment has one queen size bed. There is a small kitchen with all the essentials. There is a HEPA air purifier and the accomodation is professionally cleaned between residents.
• We do not permit pets in the artist accommodation or at VSW, but if an accepted artist has a support animal with an ESA certificate we can present it to the landlord for approval. Early notification to VSW of this accommodation is essential. 
• Family members or visitors are welcome at the artist accommodation and at VSW, however the workshop is not an appropriate space for small children, except as supervised short term visitors to your studio. If you feel you require special accommodations or have questions please contact us. 
• All submissions must be made through submittable.com.
• This is an artist residency for creative experimentation and we acknowledge that proposed projects are not always worked on and rarely completed during the time allotted. There are no requirements that accepted residents perform or complete a proposed project. The project proposal simply provides reviewers with a context for the scope and fit of the proposing artists' process and ideas for new or continued work and our capacities to support it. 
• Eligibility is open to all adult practitioners except currently enrolled students, who are not eligible for residencies at this time.
• Only one proposal per applicant. 
• Proposals by previous residents are welcome, however reviewers will prioritize first-time residents over those who have had a residency within the past three years.
• The deadline for submissions is May 18, 2026 (11:59pm Eastern Standard Time). 

Accepted media for work samples

• Up to 10 still images, each image must be at least 72 dpi, and the final file size must be between 4-5MB
• Up to 10 minutes of moving image material 
• For video only, one page of PDF with links to moving image works (must be a maximum of 10 minutes) Other PDF materials will not be reviewed

Contact Hernease Davis -- herneasedavis@vsw.org if you have questions.

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 envisions a society that values the human need to create and share ideas. 

Artist residencies at VSW are supported in part by Joy of Giving Something, The Max and Marian Farash Foundation, The County of Monroe, The New York State Council on the Arts, and photography artists participating in the program receive support from the Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation.