Singer Songwriter Rose Cousins and Bassist/Bandleader Zachariah Hickman Lead a Music at Club Passim’s

Singer-Songwriter Rose Cousins and bassist/bandleader Zachariah Hickman are enlisting a bevy of talented friends to honor a man who has helped cement Passim’s legacy as a pre-eminent folk music listening room. Matt Smith started volunteering at Passim 30 years ago. He’s now the Managing Director and has helped launch countless careers through his dedication, unstoppable hard work, and passion for all things music and musicians. Plenty of those artists will be on hand at the musical celebration on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Arrow Street Arts. This show is part of the Passim Presents at Arrow Street Arts series, a partnership of two phenomenal arts organizations in Cambridge, MA. Tickets are available now at arrowstarts.org.

Matt Smith is marking a monumental achievement as he celebrates 30 years of service at the historic music listening room in Cambridge. It all started with the impulse to volunteer in the spring of 1995. A few months later, Matt would switch to working part-time, running the soundboard for shows and managing open mics before becoming the full-time Assistant Manager the following year. Three decades and more than 11,000 shows later, Matt can still be found regularly running the soundboard, but his role at Passim has evolved.

“Matt is one of the rare people who can hold the history of Passim in one hand and the future of folk music in the other — usually while running the soundboard with his elbow. His influence runs deep through the mission we live every day: nurturing artists, building community, and making the room feel like home,” said Passim Executive Director Michael Busack. "I'm thrilled to be able to celebrate his impact in such a meaningful way, but I'm even more excited about what he still has up his sleeve."

Curated by Cousins and Hickman, the celebration will include performances by Ellis Paul, Richard Shindell, Jobi Riccio and Margaret Glaspy as well as Peter Mulvey, Kris Delmhorst, Rachel Sumner, Kemp Harris, Alisa Amador, Mark Erelli, Pamela Means, Edie Carey,, Mercedes Escobar, Sweet Petunia, and Dinty Child. Cousins will host the evening, and each performance will be backed by an all-star band led by musical director Zachariah Hickman.

“Matt Smith represents something that has sadly gone out of favor - a venue-runner that prioritizes developing artists. Matt is focused on seeing not only what an artist is doing, but what they could be doing,” said Zachariah Hickman. “Matt continues to create opportunities for young artists to try things out and make mistakes and eventually to get better and develop a real following. If you forgive the analogy - to bloom. To blossom. For 30 years now, Matt has been tending to the garden of the Boston folk music scene and its many far-reaching tendrils. And the work he's done will flower for years and years to come.”

30th Anniversary Celebration of Matt Smith hosted by Rose Cousins will take place at Arrow Street Arts on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. Doors are at 6:00 PM; show at 7:00 PM, Tickets are available now at arrowstarts.org. Arrow Street Arts is located at 2 Arrow Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.

About Passim

The mission of Passim is to provide truly exceptional and interactive live musical experiences for both performers and audiences, to nurture artists at all stages of their careers, and to build a vibrant, inclusive music community. Passim does so through its legendary listening venue, music school, artist grants, and community programs. As a nonprofit since 1994, Passim carries on the heritage of its predecessors- the historic Club 47 (1958-1968) and the for-profit Passim (1969-1994). We cultivate a diverse mix of musical traditions, emphasizing the relationship between performers and audience and teachers and students. Located in Harvard Square, Passim serves Cambridge and the broader region by featuring local, national, and international artists. Our ultimate goal is to help the performance arts flourish and thereby enrich the lives of members of our community. For a complete schedule, visit www.passim.org.

About Arrow Street Arts

This unique and one of a kind venue has the belief that the arts create community and community creates belonging, Arrow Street Arts offers accessible, multi-arts spaces and production opportunities to artists and organizations who gather, engage, and connect their communities through the transformative powers of live, in-person performances. For more information visit www.arrowstarts.org