LAKE PLEASANT — A new music residency program, the Pond Lily Project, featuring several artistic development and creative collaboration opportunities, is inviting local musicians to apply for one of five open spots by the end of the day on Monday, Feb. 9.
The program, presented by The National Spiritual Alliance (TSNA) with grant support from the Montague Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council, invites musicians to participate in a four-part model residency program, free of charge to the selected participants, with programs starting in May and running through September.
The residency includes participation in Songwriter Development Circle sessions led by musician Luke DeRoy, access to all three Music Business and Professional Development workshops, an optional performance at one of the monthly community open mic sessions hosted by musician Tobey Sol LaRoche, participation in the final show of the Songwriter in the Round series at the Shea Theater Arts Center in September, a professional audio and video recording of one original song developed during the Pond Lily Project by the Sean Byrne Foundation and a promotional photo session with Susan Paquet Photography.
“Inspired by TNSA’s logo, the pond lily — long a symbol of resilience, emergence and beauty — the project draws on the idea that creativity often rises from unseen depths,” the Pond Lily Project web page states. “In Lake Pleasant, a place shaped by spiritual inquiry, artistic expression and community gathering for over a century, the Pond Lily Project continues this tradition by offering space where music, mentorship and connection can unfold together.”
Kara Kharmah, a member of TNSA and founder of PRIA Music Marketing, said the project was inspired by the history of music being part of the TNSA community that David James, president of TNSA, detailed in his 2003 book “Spirit and Spa,” highlighting the history of the spiritualist community of Lake Pleasant and TNSA.
In creating the residency program, Kharmah said she took inspiration from the history of the community and the idea that music connects people to both something bigger than themselves and to their communities. She cited the TNSA guiding charter established in 1913 that notes music as being a part of “harmonious spiritual advancement.”
“Personally, I had an interest in doing this, but it was also very much a connection with the way that the [Thompson Temple], and then the organization, holds each person’s journey and enables them to do more for their fellow human,” she explained.
According to the residency program application, the five residents will be chosen by a jury made up of people from the organizations involved in the Pond Lily Project. The selection process will not just look at the credentials behind the applicants, but also assess the artistic voice and intention, availability, community connection, the motivation for applying, and willingness for collaboration and growth.
The final selection of participants will be based on “how well each applicant aligns with the spirit, structure and commitments of the project,” the application notes.
According to “Spirit and Spa,” the Montague village is perhaps “the oldest continuously existing spiritualist community in the United States.” Starting in the mid-19th century, families and individuals would come to Lake Pleasant to congregate and camp during the summer until permanent housing was created, after which people lived there full-time to practice spiritualism.
While there is inspiration for the music residency program from the history and beliefs of TNSA, the program is open to all beliefs, as well as open to musicians across genres and generations. Applicants don’t need to come with a vast music background, with Kharmah noting that this is a space to grow those skills.
“It’s about how to let that process flow through you, and working with your community to work on that skill,” she explained.
The deadline for applications is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9. To apply, visit tinyurl.com/usaux4b8.