While many city venues are being forced to close due to lack of funds, Fire Station Creative in Dunfermline has been going from strength to strength.
The idea of turning the old fire station in the town into a high -profile arts venue was a campaign led by painter Ian Moir, who studied at Glasgow School of Art and later returned to his hometown to try to make a difference.
“Back in 2010, Fife Council were lukewarm since the town had never had a proper contemporary arts venue,” he said.
“Fife deserved better and we could feel a groundswell of public support for our idea. We appealed to the council, time and again, to save the vacant fire station for us, but there was a general lack of confidence in the artistic community. The local public and Dunfermline Press were always right behind us though.”
It took three more years of campaigning before Alex Rowley MSP, then a Labour councillor, promised the group that he’d retain the building for public use if his party won the regional election. After Labour’s win in 2013, the group were awarded £170k by Fife Council to spend on the renovation.
READ MORE: New book reveals extent of Edinburgh wildlife
Since then, they’ve delivered 125 exhibitions and welcomed audiences to more than 1000 live musical performances. From offering a stage for emerging artists and musicians taking their very first steps to showcasing talent from across the globe, Fire Station Creative is now widely recognised as a place where creativity can flourish.
The venue has attracted big names of the Scottish and international arts scene with solo shows from Adrian Wiszniewski, Sandy Moffat, David Mach, Jim Lambie, and live performances from local punk and rock legends Skids and Big Country. The Sky Arts Landscape Winner 2022, Elisha Enfield, is currently showing in the gallery.
Alongside its public programme, the venue is home to 21 studios, providing space for a diverse community of artists, makers, and creative professionals, as well as three independent charities who are part of the building’s everyday life.
The arts venue has remained independent and survives mainly on studio rents and cafe and bar sales.
Moir, now managing director of the venue, believes venues like his ought to have financial support but without political interference in the cultural programme.
“As gallery curator, my policy is to avoid being prescriptive,” he said. “We want to be inclusive of all mediums, genres and ideas.
READ MORE: War Horse return crosses off bucket list dream for Glasgow-raised actor
“It’s a simple matter of identifying talent and channelling energy. This allows us to maintain a high standard without being too narrow in what we deliver. I think of the fire station as a community centre with a rich cultural programme of events.
“As curator of the gallery, I’ve never issued a brief or held hoops for artists to jump through. It’s far more effective to let them paint, sculpt and sing as they see fit. It’s the artists, after all, who are the dreamers of the dreams.”
Fife Council announced this year’s £1 million budget for the full restoration of the historic Art Deco building which the arts charity occupies.
