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 Workspace Residency
New in 2025, the Aurora Workspace Residency supports local artists living in Marion County, Indiana. The Aurora Workspace Residency offers a two-week intensive work period for experimentation, research, and development of new or ongoing projects. Artists must reside in Marion County, Indiana, to apply for this residency.
While the Aurora Workspace Residency is open to proposals without limitation to subject, style, or working method, priority for the residency will be given to projects that require use of Aurora’s darkroom and/or digital lab. Click here to read about chemistry and services available in Aurora’s darkroom and digital lab.
Upon acceptance, Aurora will work with the resident to schedule the two-week, continuous period of the residency in 2025.
One (1) Aurora Workspace Residency will be awarded in 2025. The residency includes a $2,000 stipend* and access to Aurora PhotoCenter’s workspaces for the duration of the residency**. The residency is open to artists residing in Marion County, Indiana, who work in photography or photo-based media; no lodging is offered with this residency.
Artists are expected to manage their own work schedules and goals during the residency. 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 Workspace Resident 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
* Facility merit: Degree and nature of proposed Aurora PhotoCenter darkroom and/or digital lab use
* Feasibility merit: Potential for artist to maximize residency opportunity and resources