The Doha Fire Station is a contemporary art center designed to foster creative development and promote contemporary art in Qatar. It offers accommodation for active artists, temporary exhibitions, workshops, events, a café and an art shop to shop for art. Built in 1982, the building was home to Qatar’s first Civil Defense Authority for decades. The space, which was used as a functioning fire station until 2012, was completely transformed by Qatar Museum in 2014, transforming it into an exciting new art space in Qatar.
The transformation project was led by Ibrahim Al-Jaida, CEO and Chief Architect of Arab Engineering Bureau. As one of the first “adaptive reuse” projects in the country, the project was implemented while preserving as much of the building’s original façade and style as possible, with sustainability as a priority.
A contemporary arts hub in Doha
Today, the Fire Station houses artists’ studios and workspaces for makers, a woodworking studio, and a fabrication lab. The Fire Station in Doha plays a key role in Qatar’s contemporary art scene, hosting various gallery spaces and exhibitions by local and international artists.
Fire Station Artist in Residence Program
One of the Fire Station’s most important initiatives is the annual Artist in Residence (AIR) program. First launched in 2015, the Fire Station Artist in Residence is a nine-month annual program for emerging artists in Qatar. The residency provides each selected artist with a studio space, facilities to develop their work, mentorship, and opportunities to collaborate with curators.
Each new batch is selected through an open call. All Qatari artists over the age of 21 residing in Qatar are eligible to apply. Each year, AIR also holds a gallery show featuring past and present artists from the Fire Station.
Two curators are also selected to participate in a residency at the Fire Station each year. In addition to local artists, the Fire Station offers an international residency program that sponsors Qatari artists to participate in the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris.
Fire Station Art Gallery
The Fire Station has three main art galleries. The Garage Gallery, located in front of the building, hosts ongoing exhibitions by some of the most renowned international artists as well as the Fire Station’s own artists.
Gallery 3 and Gallery 4 are for short-term exhibitions. They often feature works by the building’s own alumni. In addition, the Al Markhiya Gallery, located in the Fire Station Plaza, serves as a hub for promoting local and international artists from the Arab world.
Want to visit the Fire Station in Doha?
Fire Station Opening Hours
The Fire Station Galleries are open from 9am to 7pm, Saturday to Thursday, and from 1.30pm to 7pm on Fridays. The Fire Station Galleries are only open to the public during exhibition times. Fire Station Café #999, CASS Art and the Fire Station Shop are open to the public when exhibitions are not running.
Fire Station Entrance Fees
Entry is free for all Qatari residents (with ONE Pass and expatriates under 16 years of age). Museum entry is QAR 50 for expatriates over 16 years of age and QAR 25 for students. You can book Fire Station tickets online.
How to get to the Fire Station in Doha
The Fire Station is located a short drive from Doha’s famous Al Bidda Park and Flag Plaza. If visiting by car, free parking is available for museum visitors, and parking is free for those visiting Café #999 or CASS Art, with a minimum spend of QAR 100. If traveling to the Fire Station by metro, the nearest station is Corniche Station on the Red Line.
