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 .
PUBLIC ART
The Arts Station has been a hub for local artists to gather and share all forms of artistic expression for 30 years . Through exhibits and workshops , community artists have been able to share their work with the wider community and visitors . A dozen years ago , the banner project brought local art to the streets of Fernie and more recently , the dumpster project gave artists a new unique canvas , and brought colour and light to dark and ugly places . Building on these efforts , new large scale works of public art have been commissioned to add to Fernie ’ s Historic Downtown Artscape .
On the grounds of The Arts Station , A Hardy Town is a sculpture commemorating the 1908 Great Fire . A collaborative effort by local artist Michael Hepher and Kootenay metalwork artist Paul Reimer , the piece
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