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 performers 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.

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Application due date:April 10, 202511:59 P.M.

download example application

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 ticket sales from 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 over 4 months
  • 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
  • 6 day prep for a two day dance and installation performance

What do you imagine?

Meet the 2024 Cohort

Drop-In Session

April 1, 4-7PM
Stop by CitySpace to see the venue and ask questions about Pay It Forward.

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 have not been a prior Pay It Forward recipient
  • For individual applicants, annual individual income must be less than $65,000 to qualify

Benefits
  • Access to a performance venue for scheduled rehearsals and performances from July-December 2025
  • 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 through planned public performances
PrioritizationPay It Forward is meant to provide greater access to Old Town Hall.
  • Under-resourced performers will be prioritized, particularly:
    • Low-to-moderate income performers / performing artist groups
    • Marginalized performers who are / Performing artist groups that support:
      • Black, Indigenous, and People of Color performers
      • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer performers
      • Performers with disabilities
The Pay It Forward application provides opportunities to explain all barriers to access for all applicants that might not meet the prioritization considerations.

Requirements

  • You must attend the Pay It Forward orientation on June 22, 2025, 10am-Noon
  • Public performance(s) are required as part of the Pay It Forward residency
  • You must provide a physical address in Massachusetts in your application and contracting documents, including W-9 and contract
  • 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

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

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

No. We do not provide overnight accommodations. In consideration for our neighbors, quiet hours will apply. 

Arts organizations based in Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin Counties are eligible to apply. Organizations do not need to be formally registered but must be established groups. If you are starting a new group, apply as an individual.

Early June 2025

CitySpace is committed to increasing access to Old Town Hall. Low income and marginalized artists throughout Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties are prioritized for the program especially those who 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 and board. The panel of judge follows clear guidance for applicant selections.

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.

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