BAXTER ST Residency 2027: NYC Lens-Based Artists Can Apply Free by 25 November
An NYC residency dedicated to photography and lens-based art
BAXTER ST at the Camera Club of New York is accepting applications for its 2027 residency, a programme supporting emerging artists whose work begins with photography or another lens-based practice. The application window runs from 23 September to 25 November 2026. The official application portal specifies a closing time of 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, 25 November 2026. There is no application fee.
This opportunity is particularly relevant to photographers, filmmakers, moving-image artists and creators who use photographic images as a foundation for experimental visual work. The organiser also expressly welcomes collage artists whose practices engage with photography. It is not a general open call for any digital artwork: applicants must be able to demonstrate a lens-based practice.
Who is eligible: New York City residents without a previous NYC solo exhibition
Applicants must currently live in New York City, be at least 18 years old, and have not previously held a solo exhibition in New York City. Selected artists must remain NYC residents for the full period of their residency. The residency is therefore not an international remote programme or an opportunity that covers relocation to New York. Accommodation is not supplied.
The application's legal conditions also exclude BAXTER ST staff and board members, previous Workspace or Darkroom Residents, and their families. Do not assume that a photographer living elsewhere in New York State automatically qualifies: New York City residence is an explicit criterion. Artists should consult the live portal for any further legal or contractual conditions.
Three months of workspace plus a $1,000 monthly stipend
Residents receive three months of workspace access and free use of BAXTER ST facilities and equipment during the venue's respective operating hours. The programme's official overview specifies a stipend of US$1,000 per month during the three-month workspace period, as well as a $750 materials allowance and a $3,000 exhibition production fee. It also lists $165 for each public programme. These are distinct forms of support, not a single monthly payment of all those amounts.
Each resident is offered a solo exhibition at BAXTER ST after the residency term, alongside professional engagement that may include a public conversation, a video interview, and individual meetings with members of the Art Advisory Committee and staff. This makes the residency useful for artists looking to develop both a photographic or moving-image project and the public presentation of that work.
Preparing ten images and an exhibition proposal
The 2027 application requires a work sample of ten images, which may include installation views, with up to one optional video of no more than three minutes. Applicants also submit a letter of intent of at most 300 words describing the solo exhibition they hope to realise, an artist statement of at most 300 words, a one-page CV, and names and contact information for two references.
The letter of intent should connect the proposed exhibition to the applicant's artistic interests and explain how workspace access and the BAXTER ST community would benefit their practice. For artists working with hybrid photography, video or digital collage, the ten images should make the visual approach understandable without relying on lengthy technical explanation. These are editorial preparation suggestions; the submission portal provides the binding requirements.
A detail to double-check: the published student eligibility wording
The organiser's main eligibility section states that students must have completed their studies on or before 1 January 2027. However, a separate FAQ on the same webpage says artists enrolled in a degree-granting programme as of 1 January 2026 are not eligible, while the online application includes an apparent typo in that year. The official texts therefore are not fully consistent on this point.
If the student restriction matters to you, do not guess which date applies. Ask BAXTER ST for clarification at info@baxterst.org before submitting. Applicants who are no longer students should still review all criteria and the latest form because the programme may issue updated instructions.
Dates, application platform and selection
The 2027 application cycle opened on 23 September 2026 and closes on 25 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The deadline is described by the organiser as non-extendable. A jury of art professionals evaluates eligible applications, and the selected residents later undertake separate three-month workspace terms followed by exhibitions.
Applications are made online through the BAXTER ST submission platform operated on Submittable. Prepare the ten images and short texts well ahead of the deadline and check that any optional video plays correctly. The residency's published overview does not provide an exact start month for every 2027 resident, so the three-month term should not be presented as beginning at the same time for everyone.
Primary sources and artist contact
Full official programme description, fees, eligibility rules and required materials: https://www.baxterst.org/artist-in-residence/ . Official 2027 submission portal: https://cameraclubofny.submittable.com/submit . The deadline of 25 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time is specified by the 2027 submission guidelines; the organisation's main page confirms the date but does not state a time.
For questions about eligibility, accessibility or application documents, contact info@baxterst.org. BAXTER ST is located at 154 Ludlow Street in New York City. Applicants needing step-free access should review the organisation's published accessibility information: the primary resident workspace is down a flight of stairs and is not wheelchair accessible.