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Pay It Forward = Residency + Performance + Stipend + Resources

The Pay It Forward program provides complimentary venue access to CitySpace’s Blue Room, a performance and incubator space located in Old Town Hall in Easthampton, MA. The program offers Western Massachusetts artists of all kinds a venue to incubate, create, present and perform. The short-term residencies include financial support, and venue access for public performances and events. Further one-on-one coaching and peer-to-peer to learning deepens their practice, helps to build new skills and relationships, and explore new ideas.2024 Applications are closed. Read about this year's cohort.
Meet the 2024 Cohort

CitySpace 2024 Pay It Forward is made possible with the generous support by

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I would like to: 

Application is closed

Application due date:May 6, 202411:59 P.M.

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CitySpace’s Pay It Forward program provides artists who live in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties free access to CitySpace’s Blue Room, a performance and community space located in Old Town Hall in Easthampton, MA.

Pay It Forward offers artists of all kinds short-term residencies and venue access for public performances and events. In addition, artists will receive up to a $1000 stipend and proceeds from ticket sales from public performances. Further, recipients will have access to artist-tailored workshops, peer-learning cohorts, and one-on-one coaching to deepen their practice, build new skills and relationships, and explore new ideas.

Examples of potential projects:

  • A series of rehearsals and a music performance
  • A 5-day rehearsal residency and 3 day theater production
  • A series of multi-disciplinary performances
  • 3 dress rehearsals for 3 multi-artist variety shows
  • A 5-day intensive with a on day performance and talk back
  • 1 week workshopping a written work then staging a two-day staged reading
  • 3 day film festival and film talk-backs
  • 3 day prep for a two day dance and installation performance

What do you envision?

Guidelines

Who Can Apply:

  • Open to all performers (musicians, dancers, theater, multimedia, and multidisciplinary artists) 
  • Open to all performing arts-focused organizations 
and you meet all the following requirements:
  • You are ages 18 or older.
  • Individual applicant is Massachusetts resident based in Hampden, Hampshire or Franklin county / Organization applicants are based in Hampden, Hampshire or Franklin county
  • You were not a Pay It Forward recipient in 2022 or 2023.

Prioritization
  • Economically disadvantaged performers / performing artist groups
  • Underserved performers / performing artist groups that self-identify as:
    • Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) artists 
    • LGBTQ+ artists
    • Artists with disabilities.
Benefits
  • Access to a performance venue for rehearsals and performances from July-December 2024
  • Up to $1,000 unrestricted stipend, amount to be determined with application. 
  • Support from CitySpace with venue box office, marketing, documentation, and tech support.
  • Access to peer-learning cohorts, skill building opportunities, and networks
Consideration
  • Clarity and feasibility of project goals and descriptions (be clear and keep it simple)
  • Show of prior track record and follow through
  • Artistic promise presented through submission of work examples and experience
  • Demonstration of public benefit with a planned public performances

Requirements

  • Public performance(s) are required as part of the Pay It Forward residency.
  • Selected projects occurring at CitySpace must comply with the Massachusetts accommodations law  for public space. The Massachusetts Public Accommodation Law prohibits, among other things, making any distinction, discrimination, or restriction in admission to or treatment in a place of public accommodation based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, deafness, blindness, or any physical or mental disability, or ancestry.
  • You must provide a physical address in Massachusetts in your application and contracting documents, including W-9 and contract.

CitySpace is committed to improving access to its programs and services. If you need any assistance with the application, please contact us at info@cityspaceeasthampton.org.
FAQ

Artists can be emerging, mid-career, or established.

No. We do not provide overnight accommodations. In consideration for our neighbors, limited hours will apply. Pay It Forward recipients may access the space from 6 a.m. to 11 on weekdays and until midnight on weekends.

Arts organizations based in Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin Counties are eligible to apply. 

By June 10, 2024

CitySpace is committed to increasing access to Old Town Hall. Low income and underrepresented artists throughout Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties are prioritized for the program because they may experience greater barriers to access of creative space due to lack of adequate resources and being systematically undervalued. 

The review panel is made-up of representatives from CitySpace artist advisory committee members. The diverse panel of judge will follow clear guidance on priority selections including economically disadvantaged and underrepresented communities.

The review panel will not be assessing the quality of applicants’ work but a show of persistence, passion, potential, enthusiasm, and interest in their creative development. Work samples and short narrative in the application will be taken into account for artistic promise. 

The Blue Room is a ~1600 sq. ft space with accessible stage, PA and speaker systems, microphones, mic stands, electric piano, projector, screen, stage lights, video camera, chairs, folding tables, bistro and cafe tables and more. All are available for use by Pay It Forward fellows for residency and events. Tech assistance for performances will be provided. 

The Old Town Hall is conveniently located in the center of downtown Easthampton. Find more information about getting here via car on our website. To access the space via bus, there is a PVTA stop in front of the building for the R41 that services Northampton, Easthampton, and Holyoke. Additionally, there is more on-demand service within Easthampton provided by the Nashawannuck Express Flex Van service. To find out more about these options visit the PVTA website here.

Collaborations are mentioned at the end of the Pay It Forward  application. Outside of the Pay It Forward program, CitySpace sometimes works with artists to present their events in the Blue Room. CitySpace provides, tech, box office shared marketing and some other perks. There is a ticket split with the venue and the artist. If your application is not eligible for Pay It Forward, CitySpace may reach out to collaborate with you on your event.

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