Fire Station: Artist in Residence

Fire Station is a contemporary art space and residency in Doha, run by Qatar Museums opposite Al Bidda Park. It opened in 2015 in the former headquarters of Qatar's Civil Defence, built in 1982. Alongside its residencies it holds exhibitions and public programmes.

Its Artist in Residence programme began in 2015, giving artists based in Qatar nine months with a private studio, mentoring and help with production. In 2025 it became the Artists Intensive Study Programme, a fully funded course for emerging Qatari and international artists. Its Artistic Director, Wael Shawky, leads it. Since 2017 Fire Station has also sent Qatari artists to residencies in Paris and later New York.

The Qatari architect Ibrahim Al Jaidah adapted the building, keeping its honeycomb façade and tower. Inside are studios, a woodshop, a fabrication lab, an auditorium and exhibition rooms including the Garage Gallery. Al Markhiya Gallery runs a space on the plaza.