Downtown Bellingham pedestrians might notice signage proclaiming 314 E. Holly St. as the “Fine Arts Building.” Whatcom Museum Archivist Jeff Jewell said the 1923 structure was conceived as “a place for the cultivation and performance of music, theater and dance” — but its subsequent tenants have run the gamut.
The building’s original incarnation contained an auditorium plus studios for a dozen music teachers. But by the late 1940s, it took on a new identity as the “Medical Dental Center Building,” housing physicians, dentists and even state government offices.
The Bellingham Senior Center took up residence there in 1967. During this time, piano teachers reestablished studios and “the building began to take on its original character again,” Jewell continued. Other ‘70s-era tenants included the Opportunity Council, Bellingham Music Center and Northwest Audio.
The building fully reclaimed its identity as an arts hub in 2020 with the arrival of the FAB Studios, a collective of independently owned artist studios founded by Sacha Bliese. Bliese wasn’t initially aware of the building’s history (beyond its name), but she appreciated the serendipity of “bringing the fine arts back to the building.”
The FAB Studios has now grown from five to 17 artists on both floors, working in mediums including painting, mixed media, jewelry and video. They’re currently gearing up for a “Fabulously Festive First Friday” open studios event on Friday, Dec. 6; visit @the.fab.studios on social media for more information.
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