ARTS & CULTURAL HUB
THE ARTS STATION
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 ( CPR ) 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 .
The Arts Station has been a hub for local artists to gather and share all forms of artistic expression for 30 years . Public art over the years has included the Banner Project and painted dumpsters . In 2021 , Moose on the Loose brought a number of specially selected Moosethemed artworks to a variety of locations around Fernie , beginning with a wooden installation by Wild Wolves Designs at the Fernie Nordic Centre in February . The final installation by Zuzana Riha will be on display in June – see website for details .
Also at The Arts Station , A Hardy Town is a sculpture commemorating the 1908 Great Fire by local artist Michael Hepher and Kootenay metalworker Paul Reimer . Also by Michael Hepher , All Kinds of Beauty is a large mural on the corner of 2nd Avenue and 9th Street on the side of Beanpod , which reflects the hopes , dreams and aspirations of the community . Share your mural selfie at # ferniemuralproject .
6