Firehall Arts Centre, Theatre venue in Downtown Eastside, Vancouver, Canada.
Firehall Arts Centre occupies a small 1906 former fire station on the edge of Gastown and the Downtown Eastside, holding a 150-seat theatre. It stages dance, performance art and new plays, and is described as Vancouver's foremost exhibitor of experimental theatre. St. James Anglican Church stands diagonally across the intersection.
Built in 1906 as a fire station, the building later became a performing arts venue. Touchstone Theatre and Axis Mime formerly operated there, and Donna Spencer co-founded the company in 1983. It is now home to the Dancing on the Edge Festival office.
The building's name comes from its 1906 origin as a fire station, and the small theatre keeps that identity in the Downtown Eastside/Gastown border area. Donna Spencer, longtime artistic director, co-founded the company in 1983. The Firehall is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT).
The centre sits at the edge of Gastown, in the Downtown Eastside, with St. James Anglican Church diagonally across the intersection. The 150-seat theatre is small, so seats are limited for each performance. The building is a former fire station, and the entrance leads directly into the lobby and auditorium.
The annual Dancing on the Edge festival takes place over two weeks and presents contemporary dance performances in this converted fire station. The festival draws dance makers and audiences from across the region.
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