FOLK GATHERING Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Tom Chapin has had a five-decade career, made 23 albums, and won three Grammy Awards.

EVA is a female singing group with roots in Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

They join for an evening of traditional and contemporary folk music at the Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport Saturday, Jan. 9.

Chapin began performing professionally as a teenager in the early 1960s, playing in Greenwich Village folk clubs alongside his siblings, Harry and Steve, as The Chapin Brothers.

He launched a solo career in 1976, and has maintained his career as a contemporary folk artist and children’s musician.

EVA features Nicole Zuraitis, vocals and piano; Kath Buckell, vocals, guitar, percussion; and Liz Simmons, vocals, guitar, bodhrán.

With three-part harmonies, they meld their distinct voices in a performance of traditional and original folk music.

The show begins at 8 p.m. at the Firehouse in Market Square. Tickets are $33, $31 for Firehouse members. Call 978-462-7336 or visit firehouse.org.

YOUNG TALENT Student art takes center stage at Western Avenue Studios in Lowell this month.

“Fresh Visions,’’ featuring the work of Lowell High School students being entered in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards sponsored by The Boston Globe, is at the Loading Dock Gallery at Western Avenue Studios.

A display of art by Boys & Girls Club of Lowell members is in the gallery’s Onyx Room.

“Fresh Visions’’ includes about 100 pieces, ranging from painting and sculpture, to fashion, jewelry, and digital art.

“When students strive to create artwork at the highest level, they accomplish more than they think possible,’’ said Michele Boll, gallery curator. “The young artists chosen for this exhibit reveal new ideas and reflections of their world.’’

The work of student artist John Quigley was chosen for the exhibit postcard.

“My artwork encourages people to visit Lowell and witness the mix of rich history and elements in nature that make me proud to call this city my home,’’ he said.

The shows run through Jan. 31. Call 978-656-1687 or visit theloadingdockgallery.com.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Members of the bluegrass band Southern Rail have been playing together for more than three decades.

They are celebrating their 12th recording — the live DVD “Southern Rail Saturday Night’’ — with a performance at The Linden Tree Coffeehouse in Wakefield Saturday, Jan. 9.

The band is known for its high-energy performances, with harmonies, banjo, mandolin, and guitar solo work.

Members include Jim Muller, guitar and lead vocals; Sharon Horovitch, acoustic bass and harmony vocals; Richard Stillman, banjo and harmony vocals; and John Tibert, mandolin and harmony vocals.

The show begins at 8 p.m. at the Unitarian-Universalist Church, 326 Main St. Tickets are $20, $10 for 12 and younger. Reservations are recommended. Call 781-246-2836 or visit lindentreecoffeehouse.org.

LESS CAN BE MORE The documentary “A Small Good Thing’’ tells stories about people moving away from a “more is better’’ approach toward a holistic concept of happiness.

A screening of the film, sponsored by and the Medford Film Collaborative, is at the church Wednesday, Jan. 6.

The documentary is set in the Berkshires, long a destination for spiritual explorers, artists, and musicians seeking solace and stimulation amid the pastoral landscape.

The people share a desire for more meaning in their lives, a closer bond with families and communities, and a connection to themselves and the natural world.

’’A Small Good Thing’’ also travels to Rwanda to examine an organization working to provide lasting agricultural solutions to chronic childhood malnutrition in the developing world.

The screening begins at 7 p.m. at the church, 160 High St. Admission is free. Call 781-396-7215 or visit medfordfilm.org.

Wendy Killeen can be reached at wdkilleen@gmail.com.