Fourteen years.
That’s how long the Firehouse Gallery has managed to stay open in downtown Phoenix amid the flurry of other art spaces that all seem to disappear after a year or two. This continuous presence in the downtown art community has turned into a launching pad for many local artists, musicians and stand-up comics. The gallery provided them with a place to gain experience and experiment with their craft.
“The real paycheck for me is watching these people getting engaged and finding opportunities to apply themselves to do great things,” said Michael 23, owner of the Firehouse. “I feel like we’re growing the next generation of active creators in Phoenix.”
This encouragement of artistic self-determination is accompanied by a communal living situation that allows artists affordable housing while also forcing socialization in a way, something that 23 feels is important as many artistic people would otherwise not interact with their peers and therefore never collaborate or share ideas.
The Firehouse has also provided a forum of free expression for local artists whose work may have been rejected from a more traditional gallery setting, something evident in some of the more unique pieces in its current show, “Creatures.”
Artist James B. Hunt, whose work is the focus of "Creatures," uses black outlines and soft watercolors. He cites his inspiration as "space, noise and the dead."
“(The Firehouse staff) are always willing to let me do shows there, even at a time when it was hard for me to get a show, because my work was dark, and I got a lot of ‘I don’t know if you’re right for this’ from other galleries,” Hunt said. “They’re always extremely supportive, and I don’t feel right doing shows elsewhere.”
The space gives live performers these same opportunities. Everyone from actors to improvisers to comedians has graced their stage during events such as the monthly First Friday Night Live and Third Friday Firestage, said Jeff Moses, a collective member of the Firehouse.
“The Firehouse has really been a launch pad for local performers,” Moses said. “Kevin Patterson (local writer, photographer and improv troupe member) was just a stiff in a suit when he first came to the Firehouse. He had never performed before, and he really grew into himself here. This is the best place in Phoenix to have your first show.”
With its regular events, long-term presence and communal living situation, the Firehouse has become a hub of artistic interaction and culture in Downtown, thus providing a point of stability in a scene that often seems completely up in the air.
“Since we’ve been continuously open since 2001, we have a great deal of history and tradition going,” 23 said. “The arts community needs to have more tradition. Otherwise, it’s just blowing in the wind.”
The consistency of this presence, however, has been threatened in recent years due to economic issues. These began when the space’s predecessor, Thoughtcrime, which was operating from 1995 to 2005, was forced to close down when the light rail came through Central Avenue and caused its rent to nearly quadruple.
Luckily, by the time Thoughtcrime had to close, Firehouse had already been open for four years and was simply able to transition from one art space to the other when the first closed. However, 23 said it seems inevitable that the same thing will eventually happen to Firehouse.
In an effort to combat this, the Firehouse has begun hosting fundraising events. The most recent, the ShareFire festival, happened last weekend and raised nearly $2,000 dollars of nearly $7,500 that they needed to resolve some electrical and wiring issues.
The space has also set up an Indiegogo campaign to help with already incurred charges and launch a nonprofit organization to begin hunting for a new space for the business.
“Don't worry, we will keep the Firehouse going 'till they bulldoze the building out from under us,” the Indiegogo description states. “Heck, we've only had 14 years there and our goal is 23 … but getting a new location started out of harm's way is our way of ensuring that the cultural capital we've built is protected and allowed to grow and prosper.”
Reach the reporter at ezentner@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @emilymzentner
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