The Corrib Pub on Market St. in Brighton hosted a community fundraiser on Sunday, March 29. The pub was filled with a silent art auction, live music, and 35 community members as they gathered to support local artists and community organizations that encourage people to explore different kinds of art in supportive, welcoming environments.

One organization located on Academy Hill, Road – The Corner Art Room – is a nonprofit organization that has “a mission to be creative together,” according to their website. The studio organizes events and holds classes for different art mediums, including drawing, writing, and fiber arts, such as knitting. “We offer poetry, a book club, and fiction workshops,” noted Chris Parisi, a member of the board of directors. “There are not too many [community] art studios out there. This space lets people do stuff together; you can talk about your interests and explore your muses in a safe environment.”

“It’s an important third space,” added organizer Silvia Beier, who was at the event to represent another organization at the fundraiser, the Beantown Music School, within The Corner Art Room. “We encourage people to take a class. But when the class is over, where’s the community?” she asked. “Both The Corner Art Room and Beantown Music School are places for shy people to do things,” added Parisi.

Beantown Music School inspires students to “discover your inner performer,” such as D.J. Talvot of Brighton, who’s a first-time guitar player. “I went to the Brighton Common performance last summer… and I just picked it up over the past six months.” Talvot performed in front of a small crowd at Beantown’s acoustic night. She noted she was nervous performing for the first time, but she felt support from her small class of three-to-four people.

There was a lineup of artists who shared their music with the crowd, and they played songs using their preferred instruments. Douglas Appleman played songs that inspired his love of music and that he has been performing since childhood, including “Where Do they Make Balloons” by They Might Be Giants, and “Ah, France,” by Martin Mull. Appleman used to take lessons at School of Rock in Watertown before moving to Beantown Music School more recently.

“Beantown Music School gives me the guidance to play often and try other genres,” Appleman explained. “Today, we have a wide age range and families, and I’m playing comedy or silly songs,” he noted, to entertain a bigger crowd than what he’s used to playing for.

The Corner Art Room and Beantown Music School’s reach extends beyond the Allston-Brighton area. The Beantown Music School, for example, teaches students north of the city in Reading, and one of the performers – Hannah MacNeil – hailed from the North Shore, in Salem.

“I’ve been doing music since graduating [from Salem State University] in 2021,” she explained. MacNeil initially developed a love for singing when she was 6 years old but later learned to play the piano and acoustic guitar as she expanded her talents.

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MacNeil, who previously played in front of 200 people at Carnegie Hall in 2017, appreciated the “homey, family-like and cozy atmosphere” of The Corrib Pub.

“This is my first time playing [at this fundraiser],” she explained. “Silvia gave me an opportunity to perform after I had a two-month gap, and I took it.” MacNeil was happy she had the chance to perform for this smaller crowd, which included her fiancée.

In addition to the silent auction and live music, Parisi sold raffle tickets to raise money for the organization. At the end of the event, Parisi and Beier drew raffle tickets and one of the buyers, Kathy Mikk of Swampscott, won five prizes in all.

“My son is at Beantown as a vocalist and keyboard player,” she noted. “This is a great turnout, and I loved seeing new and familiar people here. It’s pretty cool.” One of the prizes included a drawing instruction book, which Mikk plans to gift to her daughter, who loves art.

Learn more about The Corner Art Room at https://www.thecornerartroom.com/

And Beantown Music School at https://www.beantownmusicschool.org/.