Hawthorn Arts Centre

Address

360 Burwood Road, Hawthorn VIC 3122

Opening hours

Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm excluding public holidays.

How to get there

Parking

Public parking is behind the Centre, accessible from Kent St or Oxley Road. Additional parking is also available a short walk from the Centre on Serpells Lane and Swinburne Avenue. Please note, restrictions apply.

Public Transport

Train: Alamein, Belgrave and Lilydale lines - arrive at Glenferrie Station, walk 2 minutes south along Glenferrie Road then turn left into Burwood Road.

Tram 16: Melbourne University to Kew - get off at stop 73.

Tram 70: Docklands to Wattle Park - get off at stop 32 and walk north on Glenferrie Road for 9 minutes until you get to Burwood Rd. Turn right and walk one minute east along Burwood Road.

Tram 75: City to Vermont South - get off at stop 32 and walk north on Glenferrie Rd for 9 minutes until you get to Burwood Road. Turn right and walk one minute east along Burwood Road.

Find other nearby services and facilities

Venue accessibility

Hawthorn Arts Centre is wheelchair accessible, with ambulant toilets available.

A lift is available to access level 1.

Reserved disability parking spaces are in the public car park behind the Hawthorn Arts Centre.

Hearing loops are available on request.

Box office

Tickets can be purchased from the box office one hour before a performance begins, subject to availability.

All other tickets must be booked online or by phone on (03) 9278 4770.

Browse our What's on section to see upcoming events and book tickets.

Food and drink

The Second Empire Cafe at the Hawthorn Arts Centre is currently closed until further notice.

Hawthorn Arts Centre has a foyer bar with a selection of refreshments and snacks. It is open for performances pre-show and during interval.

Shopping

The Emporium gift shop offers a selection of original gifts, clothing, stationery, jewellery, homewares and small art pieces made by local and international artisans to suit a range of tastes and budgets.

Located in the foyer of Hawthorn Arts Centre, the Emporium is closed until further notice.

Visit the Boroondara Arts Shop-external site, an online store where you will find unique, original gifts and art pieces made by local and international artisans. Many of the items are produced as limited editions so you know you are buying something special.

Hire a space

Hawthorn Arts Centre provides spaces for hire including:

function spaces
meeting rooms
display spaces.

Visit Hire a space at Hawthorn Arts Centre for room facilities and hire rates.

About Hawthorn Arts Centre

Hawthorn’s first Town Hall (1861) occupied the same Burwood Road site as the current building. It was a humble single story building, housing the police, courthouse, library and lock-up, but when Hawthorn was proclaimed a town in 1887 a modest hall simply would not do.

The Town Hall design was a result of a competition. The Council raised £9,500 in 1887 and received 20 submissions. Melbourne architect John Beswicke who lived locally in Harcourt Street, Hawthorn created the winning design.

In August 1888 the Mayor, Councillor Thomas Barratt laid the foundation stone of the former Hawthorn Town Hall. This foundation stone at the front of the building on Burwood Road is a time capsule containing a document with detailed a list of all past and present mayors and councillors and the history of Hawthorn from its inception.

The large Second Empire style clock was added to the clock tower in 1911.

Since it was built in 1888, the Hawthorn Town Hall has been part of community life in Boroondara, housing the post office and police station as well as hosting debutante balls, early moving picture screenings, school prize presentations, monthly craft markets, the Saturday night 50-50 dances and immunisation clinics, as well as formal municipal events.

Numerous renovations have occurred since the building’s grand opening ball of 1889, most recently in 2013 when the Town Hall was transformed into the Hawthorn Arts Centre.