The Norman Firehouse Art Center, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation and was founded in 1970 as a community arts center, operating out of a vacated, city-owned building, which previously served as a fire station. The facility has since transformed to house highly professional working visual arts studios, which now accommodate both adult and youth art education programming, a permanent gift shop, and a dedicated exhibition gallery space. As an organization, the Firehouse has become the foremost provider of art education programming in Norman’s public elementary schools, serves as partner to many community events, and reaches thousands of individuals every year through our extensive breadth of programming.
Our Vision
Enhancing our community through the visual arts
Our Impact
The Firehouse has a history of excellence as a community arts center, offering accessible visual arts programming to individuals of all cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, including underserved groups like adults with disabilities, veterans, and disadvantaged students in Title I schools. A focus on affordable tuition rates, scholarship opportunities, and free community programs allows the Firehouse to engage community members who may otherwise lack opportunities to participate in the arts.
The Firehouse Art Center serves Norman and its surrounding communities by providing quality visual arts education and experiences to thousands of people annually. Students from cities across the state, including Edmond, Oklahoma City, Little Axe, Yukon, Ardmore, Chickasha, and more, commute to Norman to participate in the Firehouse’s art education offerings. The Firehouse Art Center also engages in community outreach opportunities by partnering with events across Oklahoma City’s greater metro-area.
Our History
The Norman Firehouse Art Center was founded in 1970 as a community arts center by Carolyn Folkins, Carol Whitney, and Audrey Bethel, three friends and artists. The Firehouse is so named because it operates out of the city-owned Fire Station 2, built in 1946 by on-duty Norman firefighters and decommissioned by the Norman Fire Department in 1970. Folkins, Whitney, and Bethel partnered with the City of Norman to transform the building into a space for visual artists to practice their craft and teach others interested in the arts. Their dream has been reimagined and revitalized many times over the succeeding decades, and the Firehouse Art Center is now a part of many generations of Norman’s history and the longest-operating visual arts center in the Norman community.
Our Values
We believe that art is for everyone.
We aim to create accessible spaces for diverse audiences encompassing all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels.
We serve our community by providing creative exhibitions and programs.
We sustain an inclusive environment through community collaboration and partnerships.
We believe that engaging with the visual arts stimulates health and wellness.
We believe that, by providing innovative art education, we are building a creative community.