The Fogo Island Inn was conceived as a building for knowledge gained from centuries of lived experience off the northeast coast of Newfoundland. For more than 500 years, the in-shore cod fishery supported the economic livelihood of Newfoundland, particularly its outport communities such as those found on Fogo Island and Change Islands. The global forces that culminated in the fishery moratorium of 1992 brought an end to this way of life, significantly affecting the ecological, economic, and socio-cultural structure of Newfoundland. Fogo Island is a compelling example of the challenges facing remote, rural communities around the world. The Fogo Island Inn is a cultural and economic engine for Fogo Island, one of Canada’s oldest settlements. It was created in response to a pressing need to find a path and contemporary relevance for traditional knowledge. The Inn is owned by the Shorefast Foundation, a charitable organization, and operated for the benefit of the communities of Fogo Island and Change Islands. The Shorefast Foundation, through initiative such as the Inn and Fogo Island Arts, a contemporary arts residency program, hopes to simulate an international dialogue that will help Fogo Island, Change Islands, and other rural communities achieve relevance and resilience in an increasingly urbanized world.