The international residency program is open to all artists working in photography or image-based media, from any country. Full-time students are not eligible to participate in the residency program. Applicants must submit a short bio, an artist statement/work description, a letter of intent describing what their plans are for a month-long residency, a CV, and 10-20 images portfolio. Plus, they are welcome to upload additional documents including letters of recommendation, relevant press or publications. Additional documents are entirely optional and do not significantly impact the review of your application.

The residency includes a $5,000 stipend, a furnished artist apartment, 24-hour access to their state-of-the-art facilities, and generous staff support. Work by each Artist-in-Residence is published in a special edition of Contact Sheet: The Light Work Annual, along with an essay commissioned by Light Work. Work by former Artists-in-Residence is also part of the Light Work Collection.