The Lens Residency
Edition 1 • Chennai • 01 Oct – 05 Nov 2026
The Wavelength Foundation and the Chennai Photo Biennale Foundation are pleased to announce the first edition of a new residency for lens-based artists.
Through an open call, three artists will be selected for a five-week residency in Chennai, working with the facilities and community of the CPB Community Darkroom. Residents will develop or expand a body of work through photography, lens-based practice, and experimental or analogue processes. Applications are open to creative practitioners based in India with a committed and evolving practice, across diverse backgrounds, disciplines, and approaches. Conceived as a space for inquiry, dialogue, and exchange, the residency asks participants to engage openly with peers, invited guests, and the public. Works developed during the residency will feature in a future Residency Showcase at an upcoming edition of the Chennai Photo Biennale. A jury panel will review submissions based on the strength of the applicant's practice, the merit of the proposed project, and its relevance to their ongoing work.
What the Residency Offers
- Five weeks of shared access to the CPB Community Darkroom in Chennai, including its analog and hybrid imaging facilities
- A private air-conditioned bedroom with an ensuite bathroom in a shared residence with a kitchen and common living spaces
- A residency grant of ₹50,000
- A production stipend of ₹50,000 toward materials and project development during the residency
- A travel stipend of ₹20,000 for participants from outside Tamil Nadu, and ₹10,000 for participants travelling from within Tamil Nadu but outside Chennai
- A monthly allowance of ₹50,000 toward meals and local incidentals
- Online and in-person interactions with invited curators, artists, scholars, collectors, and practitioners from across the contemporary arts ecosystem
- Organisational support for cultural visits, research access, introductions, and photography permissions, where possible, through the Foundation's local networks
- Works may be considered for inclusion in a future Residency Showcase as part of the Chennai Photo Biennale
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted through the linked Google Form and should include:
- Artist Statement (max 500 words) - a short statement describing your current practice and why this residency is relevant to your work at this moment
- Project Proposal (max 500 words) - an outline of what you hope to explore during your five weeks in Chennai, and why this context, community, or process feels important to the proposed work
- Portfolio - 10-15 images or up to 10 minutes of time-based moving image work (link only), accompanied by a PDF with short captions or contextual notes
- CV in PDF (maximum 1 page)
- Two professional references, including names, roles, and email (mandatory) and phone number (optional)
Applications can be submitted through the Google Form by clicking the “Apply Now” button or by using the following direct link: https://forms.gle/aKTW95As9ckCC1W39.
Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed by a jury panel of invited practitioners and experts. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an online interview before final selections are made. Jury members will be announced soon.
Residency Timeline
- 24 June 2026 - Applications Open
- 31 July 2026 - Applications Close (Deadline will not be extended)
- 03–11 August 2026 - Jury Review
- 14–17 August 2026 - Online Interviews with Shortlisted Applicants
- 20 August 2026 - Selection Notification via email
- 31 August 2026 - Finalists Announced
- 01 Oct – 05 Nov 2026 - Residency Period
Please note: The residency timeline is tentative and subject to change.
Eligibility
We welcome applications from artists and creative practitioners who:
- Work with photography or any lens-based medium
- Have at least five years of sustained independent practice beyond formal education
- Can demonstrate rigorous self-directed practice through a committed body of work, exhibitions, publications, teaching, collaborative projects, residencies, workshops and more
- Are comfortable participating in discussions and group exchanges in reasonable fluency in English
- Are available to be present in Chennai for the full residency period, October 1 – November 5, 2026
- Are residents of India
Residency Expectations
Residents are expected to actively participate in the collective environment of the residency and contribute to its public-facing programming. This may include:
- Hosting a public-facing session, workshop, critique, or conversation related to their practice during the residency period
- Participating in an open studio and artist presentation at the end of the residency
- Contributing to ongoing documentation through informal process notes, images, or reflections
- Participating in conversations, critiques, and exchange sessions with invited guests and fellow residents
- To help the program thrive in the years ahead, residents are requested - though never obliged - to contribute two works to the Foundations’ archive for future fundraising efforts
About Wavelength
Founded by Sid Khanna, Wavelength Foundation creates multi-site residencies and opportunities for artists and creative practitioners. Through residencies, commissions, patronage, and public programmes, it supports artistic journeys and nurtures slow, process-driven work across mediums — valuing conversation, experimentation, and projects that grow in close relation to their context.
About the CPB Community Darkroom
Located in Chennai, the CPB Community Darkroom is one of the few spaces in India dedicated to analogue photography, experimental image-making, and historical photographic processes.
The Darkroom supports artists working across film photography, silver gelatin printing, alternative processes, digital-analogue hybrid workflows, and expanded lens-based practices. Facilities include enlargers, film processing infrastructure, scanning systems, digital negative production, archival printing capabilities, and a growing collection of cameras and technical resources. More than a production space, the Darkroom functions as a community-led environment for learning, experimentation, research, and exchange.
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