News
Thursday, 03 November 2011
Old Fire Station opens its doors
Oxford’s Old Fire Station is hosting a weekend of events for its official opening as a unique centre for creativity, entertainment and learning.
The project to renovate the Old Fire Station has been a unique partnership between Oxford City Council, Crisis, and Arts at the Old Fire Station. The result is a modern and dynamic centre where performance, education and training will all blend together in a stunning refurbishment designed by architects Fielden Clegg Bradley.
Oxford City Council and Crisis formed a strategic alliance nearly three years ago and successfully bid for Places of Change funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) designed to transform the Old Fire Station and to tackle the challenges of homelessness that the city faces. The scheme also provides a much needed arts centre in the heart of the city centre.
The building, which is owned by Oxford City Council, will house Crisis Skylight Oxford, which will provide education, training and employment services for single homeless and vulnerably housed people. Crisis Skylight offers a wide range of arts and practical workshops, formal learning, well-being and advice services. The Crisis Skylight Café, will train people in catering and hospitality skills and provide great food and drink to the public.
Arts at the Old Fire Station, an independent arts charity, will also be housed in the building and will develop partnership projects with Crisis clients, alongside professional development for artists, rehearsal spaces and meeting rooms for hire, creative activities for the general public, a shop selling the work of local artists, and music, dance, theatre, and art exhibitions for the public.
The series of events during the opening weekend will include the launch of the Urban Art exhibition, the official opening and a public open day with tours of the building.
Councillor Bob Price, Leader of Oxford City Council, says: “This weekend’s event will give an excellent insight into the way in which the new centre will combine arts and cultural activities with support for poorly housed and vulnerable people in the city.
“Oxford is a very special city and the Old Fire Station will add a new and unique dimension to our community; it will bring together students, young people, the arts community and the various charitable and voluntary groups who seek to tackle deprivation and marginalisation.
“The ‘two organisations, one building’ model, is a new development for Crisis but one which we believe offers huge potential for collaboration across communities in the city.”
Leslie Morphy, Chief Executive of Crisis, says: “We hope Crisis Skylight Oxford will become a dynamic and inspirational ‘place of change’ for single homeless people in the city. It is wonderful to see the Old Fire Station building transformed and open.
“Working alongside the Arts activities and public spaces offers a unique opportunity for homeless people to regain their confidence and feel part of the community.”
Jeremy Spafford, Director of Arts at the Old Fire Station, says: “This place really is unique. It brings together a dynamic artistic offer with an innovative project to reduce homelessness. It is also based on a social enterprise model. It will be a success because local artists and groups choose to opt in to take advantage of our resources and location to make and showcase great work and because we are creating an extraordinary partnership packed with meaning, ambition and passion.”
David Warburton, Head of Area at the HCA, added: “This is an exciting project that offers vital support to people at a time when they most need it. It’s great to be able to celebrate the completion of the hard work that many people have put into this facility.
“I am really pleased that local people have played a part in turning this project into reality and am sure the facilities will make a big difference to the lives of people it is set up to support.”
The opening weekend will consist of:
Thursday 3 November
Private View of Urban Art exhibition curated by Alison Honour, Head of Arts at Oxford Brookes University. The exhibition will show work from Harry Simmonds, Ian Hodgson, Pam Glew and others. The work will be on sale from 5 November until 2 December.
Friday 4 November
Official opening for invited guests. There will be a re-enactment of the placing of the time capsule of the Fire Station in 1894 using original research with the Lord Mayor of Oxford. There will be songs by homeless people with Simon House with Matt Sage and speeches from Councillor Bob Price, Leader of Oxford City Council, Leslie Morphy, Chief Executive of Crisis and Jennie Walmsley, Chair of Arts at the Old Fire Station.There will be performances from Sole Rebel Tap with Hannah de Cancho, poetry by residents of Windmill House with Steve Larkin and a commissioned film by Film Oxford about the Old Fire Station. The artwork created by homeless artists will be officially unveiled and then tours of the building will begin.
Saturday 5 November
Open Day for the public – All welcome. The shop, gallery and café, will be open from 9.30am to 5pm with free tours of the building at 10am, 12 noon, 2pm and 4pm. Spaces in the building will be animated by actors from UnderConstruction Theatre Company re-living scenes from the history of the Fire Station, Oxfordshire dancers and musicians responding to the new design and staff available to explain what will be happening in the future. There will also be exhibitions throughout.
