The Arts Station
Where Art, Culture & History Converge
A vibrant and engaging space for the
creative community in Fernie featuring
all disciplines of the arts for visitors
and locals alike. The Arts Station has a
varied program of entertainment and
activities throughout the year including
live concerts, film screenings, pottery
workshops, community theatre, gallery
shows, and creative classes for all ages.
Living History in a
Heritage Building
From 1898 to 1964, the Canadian
Pacific Railway station was the
economic and social hub of the
community. The current station
building was completed in the spring
of 1909 after an earlier incarnation
burned down in the Great Fire of 1908.
The CPR donated the disused building
to the City of Fernie and in 1987 the
Fernie Arts Council began the four-
year process of moving the building
onto a new foundation and completely
renovating the dilapidated structure.
The former waiting room became the
foyer gallery and every other space
found new life as studios, event space,
and even a restaurant. The Arts Station
opened in 1990 as an indispensable
base for artists in the Elk Valley.
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PUBLIC ART
This spring, the grounds of the Arts
Station will see a new feature in
the form of a dramatic sculpture
commemorating the 1908 Fire. A
Hardy Town is a collaborative effort
from Michael Hepher of Clawhammer
Press and metalwork artist Paul
Reimer. Although the devastating fire
of August 1908 razed the town in just
90 minutes, no lives were lost. The
artwork reflects the impact the fire had
on Fernie’s architecture and the City
ordinance that followed, directing all
future construction to be of fireproof
material. This commemorative
sculpture is a testament to the tenacity
of the people of Fernie who rose up
through the ashes to rebuild
and endure.
Artist rendering of public art