An 110-year-old red brick fire hall on Memorial Drive has long fascinated Calgary artist Eric Moschopedis.
He’s peeked in the windows and imagined working in the historic two-storey building, which is owned by the city and operated as a fire station until 1967.
Later this week, Moschopedis and three other artists will take over Firehall #6 in Hillhurst Sunnyside as part of a 12-week City of Calgary pilot project called Open AiR.
“For years, I’ve always wanted to be in that building, and now I can,” said Moschopedis.
“It’s an interesting place in that it sits by itself in a community. It sits there alone. It’s nice to see something happen in it.”
Poppy Plaza surrounds the 4,600 square foot fire hall, which was restored in the early 2000s and has recently sat closed, waiting for a food vendor to lease the space.
Four artists will begin working out of the space when the City of Calgary artists in residency pilot project kicks off with a meet and greet on Aug. 11 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
“One of the things we’ve heard loud and clear from Calgarians is they’re really interested in local artists and they want to see the work of local artists and they want to support them,” said Sarah Iley, manager of arts and culture at the City.
The pilot project will give the artists a needed space to practice their chosen art form and it’s hoped the creative crew will be inspired by the neighbourhood, get to know citizens, and invigorate the community.
Artists Sophia Bartholomew, Alana Bartol, Moschopedis and his collaborator Mia Rushton were chosen by a seven-member panel to participate in the one-of-a-kind program.
Mia Rushton and Eric Moschopedis in June 2011.
Moschopedis and Rushton, who happen to live in Sunnyside, plan to spend the residency both inside the historic building and outside in the community, watching local animals like osprey, beavers, snakes and bugs.
“We really saw an exciting opportunity to explore the relationship between animals and people in the neighbourhood that we live in,” Moschopedis said.
“We’re going to spend a lot of time walking around the neighbourhood, investigating animals…Ultimately what we create, we don’t know yet.”
