The Hat Factory Arts Centre

The Hat Factory Arts Centre is Luton's principal venue for performance, comedy, live music and visual arts, housed in a former hat-making works on Bute Street in the town centre. The building is a nod to Luton's long history as the heart of the British hat trade, and the centre keeps that industrial character with exposed brick, beams and flexible studio spaces.

Inside there are two performance studios, a gallery space, rehearsal rooms and a café-bar. The programme mixes touring theatre, stand-up comedy nights, jazz and folk gigs, children's shows and spoken-word evenings, with a strong emphasis on emerging artists and work made in and around Bedfordshire. Community groups and local companies regularly use the venue for workshops and rehearsals.

The Hat Factory sits just a short walk from Luton railway station and the bus interchange, making it easy to reach for an evening out. It forms part of Culture Trust Luton's wider network of venues and plays a central role in the town's cultural quarter alongside the nearby Library Theatre and St George's Square.