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About Hawthorn Arts Centre
Hawthorn Arts Centre is the flagship destination for cultural and civic celebrations for the City of Boroondara.
It is an ideal venue for a range of events, with its diverse spaces for hire and intriguing mix of contemporary and traditional design.
Hawthorn Arts Centre offers:
- flexible function spaces
- meeting rooms
- display spaces
- audio-visual facilities
- a ticketing and box office service
- professional on-site event support staff
- catering services.
All public areas of the Hawthorn Arts Centre are fully wheelchair accessible.
For more information about the centre, visit our Hawthorn Arts Centre page.
Spaces at Hawthorn Arts Centre
Hire fees
All Hawthorn Arts Centre bookings are for a minimum of 3 hours, unless otherwise noted.
Fees don't include staffing or catering.
We offer subsidised rates to groups that meet the following criteria:
- not-for-profit community groups
- located within the City of Boroondara
- 75% or greater membership is made up of Boroondara residents.
Performance and large function spaces
| Venue name and description | Full rate per hour – Mon to Thur | Full rate per hour – Fri to Sun | Community rate per hour – Mon to Thur | Community rate per hour – Fri to Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Accommodates up to 600 people. Includes a large stage and two dressing rooms. Ideal for performances, presentations, gala dinners and weddings. | $265 | $435 | $132.50 | $217.50 |
Accommodates up to 180 people, An elegantly refurbished space with natural light and AV facilities. | $189 | $330 | $94.50 | $165 |
Medium function and meeting spaces
| Venue name and description | Full rate per hour – Mon to Thur | Full rate per hour – Fri to Sun | Community rate per hour – Mon to Thur | Community rate per hour – Fri to Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Space for up to 60 people. Features an outdoor portico. This was once the mayor's private room. | $76 | $92 | $38 | $46 |
Space for up to 60 people. Suitable for meetings, functions, training sessions or an intimate wedding ceremony. Historically used as the Council Chambers. | $76 | $92 | $19 | $23 |
Space for up to 120 people. Overlooks the Main Hall. Direct access to balcony seating. Perfect for a pre-performance function, meetings, training sessions or as a breakout space. | $76 | $92 | $38 | $46 |
Located on the first floor with space for up to 40 people. Contemporary architectural features. Ideal for meetings, training sessions or as a breakout space. There is the option to self-cater and access to a community kitchen. | $49 | $52 | $12.50 | $13 |
A studio space with wet areas and washing facilities for classes and workshops for up to 50 people, or as a theatre space for 120. | $76 | $92 | $38 | $46 |
| Basement Performance and Rehearsal Space | $62 per hour $400 per day $2,120 per week | $78 per hour $472 per day $2,120 per week | $15.50 per hour $100 per day $530 per week | $19.50 per hour $118 per day $530 per week |
Intimate meeting spaces
| Venue name and description | Full rate per hour – Mon to Thur | Full rate per hour – Fri to Sun | Community rate per hour – Mon to Thur | Community rate per hour – Fri to Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Suitable for meetings or as a breakout space for up to 12 people. | $33 | $37 | $8.50 | $9.50 |
Suitable for meetings or as a breakout space for up to 12 people. | $33 | $37 | $8.50 | $9.50 |
Weddings at Hawthorn Arts Centre
Celebrate your special day in style at Hawthorn Arts Centre. This historic building provides the perfect backdrop for traditional and contemporary weddings.
Centrally located in the leafy surrounds of Hawthorn, the centre combines an intriguing mix of historic architecture and modern design features across a range of versatile spaces. Boasting a range of unique rooms and an outdoor terrace for beautiful ceremonies and breathtaking receptions, Hawthorn Arts Centre has the perfect space to suit your personal style.
From intimate cocktail parties through to large, lavish dinners, Hawthorn Arts Centre’s unique function spaces provide ultimate flexibility for wedding planners to create their dream wedding.
Wedding planning services
Enjoy stress-free planning in the lead up to your special day with our experienced team of wedding planners. This team of passionate wedding professionals have been creating magical moments for couples across Australia for many years.
When it comes to wedding food, you want a team of experts who’ve taken care of hundreds of Melbourne weddings. Essential Catering and Events deliver dream weddings at the Hawthorn Arts Centre. With a range of flexible and affordable catering options and extensive experience, they can help make your special day a memorable one. Find out more on our Catering page.
Corporate events at Hawthorn Arts Centre
Elevate your business events at Hawthorn Arts Centre. Hawthorn Arts Centre is the perfect venue choice for corporate events of all shapes and sizes. The centre is conveniently located just 15 minutes from Melbourne's CBD, is situated close to public transport and has parking onsite.
From large conferences and gala dinners in the Main Hall (seating 300 or 450 cocktail style), through to small meetings and workshops, the Hawthorn Arts Centre has the ideal space.
There are 10 unique rooms and spaces for a variety of events such as:
- conferences
- meetings
- seminars
- banquet dinners
- cocktail parties.
The outdoor balcony area on the first level of the venue looks towards the Melbourne city skyline. It's ideal for pre-dinner drinks or as a conference break out area for your delegates to unwind.
Hawthorn Arts Centre also has large foyer spaces that can be used for:
- product launches
- exhibitions
- conference registration
- break out spaces.
Our exclusive caterer, Essential Catering and Events, has an extensive range of corporate, office and event catering options to suit any event. Find out more on our Catering page.
Event services
Catering
Essential Catering and Events are our catering supplier at the Hawthorn Arts Centre. With extensive experience and amazing food, they are the perfect team to take care of your every need for your upcoming event.
You can find out more about what they offer and see their packages and menus on our Catering page.
Ticketing services
We provide a full box office and ticketing service for all performance-style events. Patrons can buy tickets online, over the phone or in person. Workshop-style events may not be required to use this service.
There is a fee for ticketing services.
Marketing and promotional services
We offer complementary marketing and promotional services if you are presenting medium to large events at the centre. This includes:
- displays on our digital screens
- flyer display
- website listing.
We also have tables to display merchandise related to your event or performance.
Support staff
You can hire a supervising technician, front of house and duty manager, box office staff and event staff.
More information
For more information about hiring a space at the Hawthorn Arts Centre contact us at [email protected]u or on (03) 9278 4770.