THE FIRE STATION SITS AT THE HEART OF DOHA’S FLOURISHING ART COMMUNITY, HOUSED IN A CONVERTED FORMER FIRE STATION BUILDING. THE FIRE STATION OFFERS NINE MONTH PROGRAMMES FOR ARTISTS ACROSS ALL DISCIPLINES, WHO ARE RESIDENT IN QATAR, INCLUDING PRODUCTION SUPPORT, MENTORSHIPS AND CURATORIAL SUPPORT, ENABLING YOUNG ARTISTS TO DEVELOP THEIR TALENT.

Under the visionary guidance of Qatar Museums’ (QM) Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar Museums renovated the old Civil Defence building (known locally as the old Fire Station building) in 2015 to create a residency programme to support artists in Qatar and provide a platform for creative exchange. The initiative demonstrates a commitment to nurturing emerging artistic talent and builds on a long tradition of arts patronage in Qatar.

The Artist in Residence Programme
The artists in residence programme reflects QM’s vision of enriching the lives of all those who live in and visit Qatar and inspiring culture that breeds creativity and innovation. Twenty studios are open to the artists selected to join the Fire Station; four are reserved for visiting artists, the others are open to artists living Qatar. The residency’s mentoring sessions provide guidance from established local artists and QM museum leadership. The artists also have the opportunity to engage with international artists visiting Qatar. Representing a wide range of disciplines (including art, design, architecture and other fields), residents are welcomed for a period of nine months. All artists must go through an application process and are ultimately selected by a jury.
The Fire Station offers artists in Qatar the chance to immerse themselves in their work for this period. The residency provides them with individualized studios and the chance to collaborate with fellow creatives and find ways to develop and explore their own techniques. They also meet curators, access all Qatar Museums (QM) exhibitions and are encouraged to join workshops and lectures.

Garage Gallery
The Fire Station’s garage has been converted into a 700-square-metre exhibition space called “Garage Gallery” to show work by artists selected for residencies, alongside a programme of major international exhibitions, which have featured renowned artists such as Ai Weiwei. Recent international exhibitions have included Russian Avant-Garde: Pioneers and Direct Descendants, organized by the State Tretyakov Gallery; Picasso-Giacometti, presented in collaboration with Musée national Picasso and the Fondation Giacometti; and German Encounters – Contemporary Masterworks from the Deutsche Bank Collection.

The Building
The building served the community as a fire station from 1982 to 2012. When it was converted to an artist space, QM preserved the original honeycomb façade and many of its design features. Renowned Qatari architect Ibrahim Al Jaidah was commissioned to redesign the interior of the building to cater to the needs of the resident artists. The overall aesthetic of the building is raw, industrial, and minimalist. The building also features the restaurant café 999, a bookshop, art supply shop, cinema and other facilities for artists. ✤

GO: VISIT WWW.FIRESTATION.ORG.QA/EN FOR MORE INFORMATION.