Apply 2025 Aurora Project Residency

Aurora PhotoCenter’s residencies offer invaluable opportunities for artistic development and highlight our Indianapolis arts community as a center of creative production. In collaboration with our partners, including Herron School of Art + Design and Tube Factory Artspace, Aurora offers three residencies in 2025: The Aurora + Herron Residency, the Aurora Project Residency, and the Aurora Workspace Residency. Artists may apply for multiple residencies depending on eligibility.

2025 Aurora Project Residency

The Aurora Project Residency offers a two-week intensive work period for experimentation, research, and development of new or ongoing projects. While the Aurora Project Residency is open to proposals without limitation to subject, style, or working method, priority for the residency will be given to projects that engage and incorporate the place and people of Indianapolis. Upon acceptance, Aurora will work with the resident to schedule the two-week, continuous period of the residency in 2025.

Up to two (2) Aurora Project Residencies will be awarded in 2025. The residency includes a $2,000 stipend*, a place to stay; and complimentary access to Aurora PhotoCenter’s workspaces for the duration of the residency**. The residency is open to all artists working in photography or photo-based media. Artists from any country or region may apply; artists are responsible for travel arrangements to and from Indianapolis, Indiana, for the residency, with travel reimbursement up to $500.

Artists are expected to manage their own work schedules and goals; artists will also manage their own meals and laundry. During the residency, interaction with the local arts community will be encouraged and facilitated. Residents will be asked to give a talk about their work and residency experience at a mutually-agreed upon time.

Please note that due to limited space and resources, Aurora does not currently support friends, family members, children, or pets accompanying artists during residencies.

* Collaborative projects will split the $2,000 stipend.
** Standard printing charges apply to work printed in the digital lab.

2025 Application Timeline and Selection Process

Application Opens: January 1, 2025
Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
All Applicants Notified of Status via Email: On or before May 1, 2025

All submissions must be received by the stated deadline in order to be considered. Due to the high number of applications, Aurora is not able to provide individualized feedback on applications.

The 2025 Aurora Project Resident(s) will be selected by a review panel comprised of Aurora PhotoCenter board members, Indianapolis art community members, and art advisors and professionals. The primary criteria for selection include: 


* Artistic merit: Quality, nature, and consistency of the work samples and degree to which samples support proposed residency goals


* Project merit: Potential for the creation of new and significant research/work during the residency


* Engagement merit: Degree and nature of proposed engagement with the place and people of Indianapolis


* Feasibility merit: Potential for artist to maximize residency opportunity and resources

The Aurora Project Residency would not be possible without the following partnership.

Pending scheduling, artists will stay at Tube Factory Artspace in their artist bed and breakfast located on Cruft Street in the Garfield Park area of Indianapolis. Aurora PhotoCenter thanks Tube Factory Artspace and Big Car for generously supporting this residency. Our partnership is part of a program for visiting artists working in different genres staying and working at the Tube Factory campus all year.