Pay It Forward recipients first day of orientation. (Left to right: back: Ricky Nixon, Chestina Thrower, Ailey Verdelle, Mo Schweiger. Front: Patric Madden, Mercedes Loving-Manley, Hazel Basil, Muriel “Monik” Johnson.
Photo credit: Darian Gonzalez
EASTHAMPTON — CitySpace’s Pay It Forward program has announced its 2025 cohort of artists who will each get opportunities to take the stage inside the Blue Room for original performances.
The Pay It Forward program is designed to break down barriers and provide free venue access, stipends and professional development.
Performers in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties were eligible to apply for short-term residencies at CitySpace’s Blue Room.
This year’s artists on the receiving end of this program designed to uplift and empower creative talent across Western Mass. will include:
- Hazel Basil, a multi-genre musician from Amherst
- Mercedes Loving-Manley, performer and storyteller from Springfield
- Muriel “Monik” Johnson, an educator, performer and visual artist from Springfield
- Patric Madden, an actor, director and experimental drag performance artist from Northampton
- Chestina Thrower, a Jazz and R&B singer from Springfield
- Ricky Nixon, AKA the Heatmizer, of Hip-Hop trio LS Camp, from East Longmeadow
- Mo Schweiger, a multidisciplinary writer from Greenfield
- Ailey Verdelle, a musician, composer and educator from Holyoke
“As a community-based organization, it is critical that we are engaging with all levels of community and communities across Western Massachusetts,” said CitySpace Programming and Venue Manager Zoe Fieldman. “We do not only exist as a space for those who can afford a ticket or to rent the venue, we exist as a space for all artists to come together and share in the collective power of creative expression.”
Now in its fourth year, Pay it Forward offers more than just free access to CitySpace’s Blue Room, the vibrant incubator and performance venue nestled in Easthampton’s historic Old Town Hall. The residency program provides Western Mass. artists with critical resources as it is an investment in creativity, connection and community impact.
“Pay It Forward offers the gift of seeing, appreciating and validating artists of all walks of life and giving them a platform to express their creativity and shine. I am excited and looking forward to experiencing the guidance and synergy of such a unique organization,” said Johnson, a 2025 PIF recipient who has been storytelling for over 25 years. In November, she will be presenting “Fredella Mae’s Daughter Is A Storytelling” in the Blue Room.
From August through December, the Blue Room will be the hub for the latest talent coming through the new cohort with bold artistic works across genres, ranging from immersive theater and performances to original music and storytelling.
“When [CitySpace President] Burns Maxey had the inspiration to start the Pay It Forward program, it was motivated by the simple fact that CitySpace has a resource that other folks need, and wouldn’t it be amazing if we could connect with the folks who need it most,” said Fieldman. “We are giving artists space still, but also offering opportunities for them to build their skills and audiences so the next time they are onstage they already have the tools they need to have a more successful performance. Also, because we now have three years of Pay It Forward under our belt, we have created multiple generations of cohorts that continue to return and connect with current participants.”
Kicking off the Pay It Forward 2025 Performance Series on Aug. 24 will be genre-defying musician Hazel Basil. Basil said when hearing of the program, there was no reason not to apply for the unique opportunity for local artists.
“I heard that it was a program to help local artists break barriers of entry and put their work out into the world, and I knew that I would be kicking myself if I didn’t apply. It was just too perfect to pass up,” said Basil. “I had been trying to find channels for me to put myself out there and share my music with my community, and CitySpace’s Pay It Forward program was offering me just that.”
Basil added, “For a long time, I just accepted that I wouldn’t ever have the confidence to perform my music. Knowing that there are folks working with me that have my back and will make consistent efforts to create supportive spaces for artists like myself is a huge boost — one that’s making it possible for me to create a show that might have never existed if it were not for Pay it Forward.”
Just days following Basil’s performance on Aug. 30, the Chestina Thrower Quartet will take the stage with a stirring jazz and R&B set, breathing new life into beloved standards an showcasing the emotional power of live music.
Full artist bios are available at tinyurl.com/3x2k8ym4.
“It allows performers to take risks and push boundaries without having to worry about the economic repercussions of attempting to put on a show,” said Fieldman. “When you work with artists who face economic barriers to making their art, it becomes immediately evident that having access to something that seems simple, like rehearsal space, makes a world of difference.”
CitySpace invites the public to experience these vibrant voices as they share their stories, sounds and visions for the future of local performance.
This year, the Pay It Forward performance series will feature a new initiative in the “Pay It Forward Punch Card” to encourage audience members to come to as many of the performances as they can to cultivate more of a series feeling to the cohort’s shows. This initiative will offer audience members the option to buy a punch card upfront for four or eight shows that they can bring as their ticket to any of the Pay It Forward performances.
Pay It Forward punch cards for pre-purchase Pay It Forward season investment options are available for purchase. Ticket and event information can be found at cityspaceeasthampton.org.
Pay It Forward is made possible by funding from the Community Foundations of Western Massachusetts, Greenfield Savings Bank and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
“When selecting applicants, we don’t require that their proposals be entirely flushed out. We understand that applicants have different backgrounds and experience levels when it comes to producing a performance,” said Fieldman. “What we do expect of the incoming cohort is that they are dedicated to their project and share our goal of seeing them grow and thrive as artists with this opportunity.”
