The National Spiritual Alliance
DONATE 2 Montague Ave, Lake Pleasant (413) 225-1023
A Sacred Space for Spirit, Healing, and Community Since 1913

The Pond Lily Project

A Community-Centered Music & Artist Development Initiative

Rooted in Lake Pleasant

The Pond Lily Project is a community-centered music and artist development initiative rooted in Lake Pleasant, Massachusetts, home of the historic The National Spiritual Alliance (TNSA).

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. 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.

About the Pond Lily Project

Rising from murky depths, the pond lily draws nourishment from below the surface to bloom into something resilient and beautiful. In the same way, the Pond Lily Project is grounded in the belief that creativity often emerges through deep listening, honest self-expression, and shared experience—and that when artists are given space, support, and community, that beauty can rise and be offered outward.

At its heart, the Pond Lily Project recognizes music as shared energy—moving between musicians playing together, between artist and audience, and between creative communities and the people they serve. When held with intention, music becomes a connective and positive force in the world, capable of opening minds, strengthening understanding, and fostering collective care.

Program Structure: A Four-Part Model

The Pond Lily Project is designed as an interconnected ecosystem with four core components, each supporting a different aspect of artistic and community development.

Songwriter-in-the-Round Concert Series

Songwriter Development Circle
A curated listening-room concert series highlighting original songwriting and shared storytelling. An intentional creative space where songwriters—across generations and experience levels—come together to share works-in-progress, explore songwriting as both craft and expression, and learn through conversation, feedback, and collaboration.

  • Series of summer concerts in the Thompson Temple Sanctuary in Lake Pleasant.

  • Each concert features three songwriters in an intimate, audience-centered format

  • The series culminates in a final Songwriter-in-the-Round concert at the Shea Theater Performing Arts Center in September 2026, featuring all Pond Lily Project Artists

  • Emphasis on trust, reflection, and collective growth

  • Open to artists of varied styles and approaches (not limited to acoustic or solo performers)

  • Led by Pond Lily Project Resident Artist Mentor Luke DeRoy

  • Included for Pond Lily Project Artists; open to the public for a fee

Music Business & Professional Development Workshops

Community Open Mic Series
A series of 3 practical workshops led by industry professionals designed to support sustainable creative lives, including: A monthly, welcoming open mic series presented by Pond Lily Project Resident Artist Mentor & Host, Tobey Sol LaRoche.

  • Marketing, branding, and audience development

  • Recording, sound, and demo creation

  • Booking, touring, and navigating the music ecosystem

  • Workshops are open to the broader community and are included for Pond Lily Project Artists.

  • Designed as an accessible entry point for musicians and music lovers alike

  • Encourages participation, discovery, exploration and intergenerational exchange

  • Builds bridges between artists and audiences, building connection in the community

  • Each Pond Lily Project Artist in Residence will be offered a feature slot at one open mic during 2026

Pond Lily Project: Artists in Residence

Five musicians will be selected through an open application process to participate as Pond Lily Project Artists in Residence.

The residency welcomes intergenerational artists and values both emerging and experienced voices.

Artists in Residence Receive:

  • Full participation in the Songwriter Development Circle

  • Complimentary access to all 3 Music Business & Professional Development Workshops

  • A featured performance at one community open mic (optional)

  • Participation in the final Songwriter-in-the-Round concert at the Shea Theater in September 2026 (date TBA)

  • Professional audio and video recording of one original song developed during the project

  • A professional promotional photo session

All Artists in Residence, along with the Resident Artist Mentor and Community Host, will participate in Live from Thompson Temple, a recording session sponsored by the Sean Byrne Foundation in the Thompson Temple Sanctuary.

Recordings will be distributed through partner and sponsor platforms, including community television and affiliated media outlets, extending the reach of participating artists beyond the room and into the wider community.

Artists in Residence are not charged to participate. The residency is rooted in reciprocity—through engagement, collaboration, and active participation in community events that help build audiences and strengthen the local cultural landscape.

Participation Requirements & Key Dates

Applicants should be able to commit to:

  • Participation in the Songwriter Development Circle every month May–August 2026

  • Availability for the final Songwriter-in-the-Round concert at the Shea Theater in Turners Falls, MA in
    September 2026 (date TBA)

  • Participation in a Live from Thompson Temple recording session and photo shoot


Applications close: Monday, February 9, 2026 at 11:59 AM

APPLICATION LINK: https://forms.gle/fkJUcSWUTQ2tJo7o9

Project Collaborators & Supporters

The Pond Lily Project is made possible through collaboration and support from regional arts, media, and community sponsors and partners, including:

  • Montague Cultural Council

  • Massachusetts Cultural Council

  • RiverCulture

  • PRIA

  • Shea Theater Performing Arts Center

  • Simon Says Booking

  • Montague Community Television

  • Sean Byrne Foundation

  • Susan Paquet Photography

Additional community sponsors and partners support the project throughout the season.

Why the Pond Lily Project Matters

The Pond Lily Project exists to support artists as whole people, build authentic relationships between musicians and the communities they are part of and serve, and create spaces where music functions as shared experience and shared energy.

By weaving together performance, education, mentorship, and community gathering, the Pond Lily Project nurtures both artistic growth and collective belonging—allowing creativity to rise, again and again, from shared roots.

APPLICATION LINK: https://forms.gle/fkJUcSWUTQ2tJo7o9

Application & Selection Process

Artists in Residence for the Pond Lily Project will be selected through an open application process followed by a jury-based review.

Applications will be reviewed by a small jury made up of project mentors, community partners, and sponsors, representing a range of artistic, community, and organizational perspectives. The selection process is designed to be thoughtful, transparent, and aligned with the values of the project.

Rather than focusing solely on résumé-style credentials, the jury will look holistically at each application, with attention to:

  • Artistic voice and intention
    A sense of the applicant’s songwriting practice, creative direction, and willingness to engage in an exploratory, collaborative process.

  • Commitment and availability
    The ability to participate fully in the project’s timeline, including development sessions, community events, and the final concert.

  • Connection to community
    An interest in how music functions as shared experience and shared energy—between artists, audiences, and the communities they are part of and serve.

  • Motivation for applying
    Why the applicant is drawn to the Pond Lily Project at this moment, and what they hope to give to and receive from the experience.

  • Openness to collaboration and growth
    A willingness to engage across generations, styles, and experience levels in a non-competitive, supportive environment.

The Pond Lily Project values intergenerational participation, diverse creative backgrounds, and artists at different stages of their journey. There is no single “correct” style, genre, or career path expected.

Final selections will be based on how well each applicant aligns with the spirit, structure, and commitments of the project as a whole.