Old Fire Station, Oxford

Home
United Kingdom
Oxford
Old Fire Station, Oxford

The Old Fire Station is a public arts centre. We believe that art is for everyone. This helps develop networks, build resilience and leads to more stable lives.
(280)

Great art for the public:
We want our reputation to be good quality art aimed at adults which takes a risk, asks a question and entertains. We want our audiences to have fun and be open to new ideas and different people. Professional development of artists:
We support early to mid career artists from all disciplines with advice, subsidy, networks and promotion to help them become more successful.

Building the confidence and skills of homeless people:
We help homeless people choose their own labels by including them as audience, participant, trainee, volunteer, contributor or artist. A new kind of public space:
We offer a public space which is shared by very different people and helps to break down barriers and promote solidarity.

21/08/2026

☕️ Coffee o’clock at the Old Fire Station. Whether you’re after a silky flat white, a lovely latte, or just an excuse to take five, our café is here for you. Come in, grab a coffee, settle in and watch the world go by.

20/08/2026

Join us for our Storytelling open training in September, introducing the Storytelling method and a practical guide to story collecting.

PART 1: Introduction to Storytelling training
Thursday 17 September, 2pm – 5pm (UK time), online
A step-by-step introduction to the Storytelling method and how to put it into practice in the context of your own work.

PART 2: Story Collector training
Thursday 24 September, 2pm – 5pm (UK time), online
Building on part one, an in-depth and practical look at story collecting, including how to set-up, structure and guide conversations which lead to rich and insightful stories in the voice and words of the storyteller.

Cost: Standard £300 +VAT, pay more £350 +VAT, and pay less £150 +VAT.

IMPORTANT: This training is online only.

🎟️ https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/storytelling-open-training-sep-2026-2-parts-online/

***
The Storytelling Evaluation Method (Storytelling) is a qualitative learning and evaluation approach inspired by Most Significant Change. It involves collecting stories from people about their participation in a project and then bringing other people together to analyse these stories collectively. Storytelling amplifies the voices of those closest to the work, supports meaningful collaboration, and produces nuanced insights. It is an enjoyable process that aims to be non-reductive, non-extractive, inclusive, and empowering – both illustrating and reinforcing the benefits of person-centred practice.

Storytelling is especially suitable for learning about the impact of holistic, relationship-based, and context-specific work that is difficult to evaluate using quantitative measures alone. It helps organisations to recognise unexpected outcomes and to understand how change happens. The Old Fire Station has now trained over 250 local and national partners in using this method, including other cultural organisations, local authorities, charities, voluntary and community groups, and academic researchers. OFS offers bespoke training and consultancy support to organisations, and runs three open training sessions per year.

If you want to speak to the OFS Storytelling team about training or consultancy support, you can get in touch here: https://www.storytellingevaluation.co.uk/contact. You can find out more on our Storytelling website (https://www.storytellingevaluation.co.uk/), or in our Meaningful Measurement Playbook, co-authored with the Skoll Centre at Said Business School, University of Oxford.

18/08/2026

📚 More books, more swapping! Our Swap Library has had a new batch of books dropped off and they're all awaiting their next reader.

Pop in and have a browse, pick up something new (to you), and maybe grab a coffee from the café while you’re here.

17/08/2026

😍 When you run in your latest What's On guide's cover stars at the Edinburgh Fringe...

Based on the incredible true story of the Great Alaskan Earthquake, is a heartwarming portrait of a community in crisis with the whole world listening in - and it arrives at OFS this October after a critically acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Fringe and thrilling London audiences at The Pleasance Theatre this Spring.

📅 Thu 15 Oct
🎟️ https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/down-to-chance/

14/08/2026

Two new cakes have landed at the Old Fire Station Café! 🍰 These delicious additions are from the brilliant Yellow Submarine - the Oxford charity that does great things and makes very good cakes.

🍊 Orange & cardamom cake
🍫 Millionaire brownie

11/08/2026

Meet Fred is a puppet show created by Hijinx Theatre. It aptly stars a puppet named Fred, who for all his synthetic body parts is every bit human in where it matters - to gain true societal acceptance is to do one thing: get a job. It is a deviously simple task for anyone but especially for those with learning disabilities, which is what Meet Fred aims to tackle with its unique satirical commentary, combining wit and realist themes of disillusionment and despair in our system.

Fred has found success all across the globe and we were honored to have him back for his 10th anniversary! This blog post, written by Claire Frampton of our Theatre Club, goes into detail about her encounter with the world-famous puppet up close...

👀 https://oldfirestation.org.uk/2026/08/11/when-i-met-fred-review-of-meet-fred/

06/08/2026

🖌️ A classic story of work, struggle and solidarity - brought vividly to life on stage.

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is a powerful one-person adaptation of Robert Tressell’s much-loved novel, following a group of Edwardian painters and decorators as they fight for dignity and survival in a world built on inequality.

With live music, song, projection and a touch of theatrical magic, Neil Gore brings this enduring story of injustice, hope and collective action to the Old Fire Station.

📅 Sat 3 Oct
🎟️ https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/the-ragged-trousered-philanthropists-2/

04/08/2026

☕🥙🍰 Have you discovered our little café yet? We're serving up great coffee, homemade cakes, and delicious Middle Eastern lunches from Damascus Rose Kitchen - all in one of Oxford's friendliest spaces, on George Street.

Whether you're catching up with friends, escaping with your laptop, grabbing lunch, or just in need of an excellent flat white, we'd love to see you.

And every coffee, cake and lunch helps support a place where art, creativity, community and kindness come together.

Open Tuesday-Sunday, 9.30am-4pm. Pop in and say hi.

ℹ️Café link in bio.

03/08/2026

📻 One woman. One radio station. One of the biggest earthquakes in history.

Down to Chance is a gripping, funny and inventive true story set during the 1964 Great Alaskan Earthquake, brought to life with live sound, lightning-fast multi-roling and the magic of old-school radio.

Fresh from a sell-out Edinburgh Fringe run and acclaimed London performances, this five-star thriller lands at the Old Fire Station for one night only.

📅 Thu 15 Oct
🎟️ https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/down-to-chance/

01/08/2026

🎭 Love the arts? Brilliant at keeping things organised? Experienced with social media and marketing? This could be your dream job.

We're looking for an Arts Administrator (Programming and Marketing) to join the team at the Old Fire Station and help keep our busy programme of theatre, comedy, exhibitions, workshops and community projects running smoothly.

If you think this could be you, and you want to work somewhere that believes art is for everyone, we'd love to hear from you.

Find out more and apply here: https://oldfirestation.org.uk/about/vacancies/

Please share with anyone who'd be perfect for the role!

Address

40 George Street
Oxford
OX12AQ

Telephone

+441865263990

Website

https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Old Fire Station, Oxford posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Establishment

Send a message to Old Fire Station, Oxford:

Want your establishment to be the top-listed Arts & Entertainment in Oxford?