The Culture Trust, Luton, is delighted to announce that the Hat Factory Arts Centre will reopen on the 7 June. The Trust, which also manages the Stockwood Discovery Centre and Wardown House and Museum and Gallery, as well as the Hat District regeneration programme, has produced a programme for the summer months focused on live performance, the area of the arts that was the most effected by the Covid pandemic.
Says Marie Kirbyshaw, Chief Executive of Culture Trust, Luton: ‘Social distancing all but brought to an end live performance during the lockdown, so we have put an emphasis on this for our summer programme, with theatre, comedy, music and family events. And we are, of course, delighted that we can now open all our venues, the wonderful gardens at Stockwood Discovery Centre, and all its other attractions, and Wardown House, which attracted more than 80,000 visitors last year. As always, both can be visited free of charge.’ The summer programme includes the following:
Theatre
— The Nobodies (10-11 June): A town is in turmoil, a hospital is closing, and an MP is dead on the train tracks… accident? Or opportunity?
— I Wish My Brother George Was Here (25 June): A polemic theatre performance sharing the sto ries of those affected by the tragic murder of George Floyd
— Emergence: Stories of a New Beginning (23 July): Theatre performance on women emerging from challenges and nurturing their creativity and emotions
— Were You There? (29-31 July): Join NGYT in their latest theatre performance championing distinc tive young voices through spoken word
Events
— Utter! Lutonia (3 June): Eclectic line-up of ever-changing spoken word and musical talent
— Windrush Delights (19 June): Teletubby turned comedian, John Simmit will host the evening, taking the audience on a journey through the ages of music inspired by the Windrush Generation whilst they dine on a sumptuous 3 course dinner
— Filmed with Love: The Adventures of Priscilla (24 June): Luton’s Queer film night screening The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
— Taster Lino Print Workshop (26 June): Join artist Katie Allen for a lino printing workshop
— Artist in Residence Drop In – Kiran Patel (13 Sept. – 11 Oct.): Drop in to meet artist in residence Kiran Patel as she creates a new piece of art inspired by hats in the collection
Family
— DIG! (11 June): Gentle first theatre experience for young children exploring the garden
— Decorate your Own Plant Pot (27 June): Learn with Errol and Tia about growing plants and upcycling
— Errol’s Garden (10 July): Interactive children’s musical from Golden Toad Theatre
Comedy
— Comedy Bar (18 June): Join resident MC Jake Pickford for an evening of stand-up comedy from the nation’s up and coming talent
— Comedy Bar (16 July): Join resident MC Jake Pickford for an evening of stand-up comedy from the nation’s up and coming talent
— Comedy Bar (20 August): Join resident MC Jake Pickford for an evening of stand-up comedy from the nation’s up and coming talent
Music
— Basement Live (26 June): Join us for live music gigs in the Hat Factory
— Basement Live (31 July): Join us for live music gigs in the Hat Factory
— Basement Live (28 August): Join us for live music gigs in the Hat Factory
— Vinyl Revelations Presents: Spear of Destiny (24 September): Experience a live performance by Spear of Destiny
Workshops
— Amazing Indigo (10 June): Dip into the magical process of indigo dyeing with Jane Charles
— Polymer Clay Jewelry (12 June): Jewelry making workshop with award winning polymer clay artist Yasmin Ali
— Beginners Crochet (19 June): Join Nicola for a creative morning learning the basics of crochet
While Culture Trust, Luton, receives financial support from the local council, it is a charity that seeks to support itself through box office sales and donations from visitors and the local community.
Wardown House Museum & Gallery will be re-opening on the 12 July. Formerly the home of the Scargill family, then a World War I military hospital, the house is now a museum which transports the viewer back to Victorian times. The Morning Room art gallery displays a changing exhibition programme throughout the year. Visitors can also enjoy the café for coffee, tea and cakes.
Stockwood Discovery Centre has been open since May and invites visitors to explore the breathtaking gardens, featuring sculptures by Ian Hamilton Finlay, along with a WWII air raid shelter and a garden café. The centre is also home to a vibrant museum which displays the largest carriage collection in Europe.
In the summertime, Stockwood will stage an exhibition on lace. International artists Choi and Shine have designed two lace trees to be installed at the centre. The inspiration for the design has come from Wardown House Museum’s very own lace collection with the lace panels crocheted by local volunteers to form part of the installation on display to the public.
A vital part of Culture Trust, Luton’s remit is the restoration of the town’s historic Hat District. In April, it unveiled the careful heritage restoration and refurbishment of the oldest former Hat Factory, which was completed after four years and with the investment of £2.4m.
Hat Works is part of the Hat District heritage regeneration project led by The Culture Trust to reanimate and reuse historic hat factories and transform them into inspiring and much needed creative workspace. Hat Works follows the completion of Hat House and the refurbishment of the Hat Factory Arts Centre led by the Trust in 2019.
Hat Works is situated in the heart of the Hat District creative cluster in central Luton between the railway station and Mall shopping centre. The Hat District is a growing dynamic creative community housed within (and at times bursting out of) the Hat Factory Arts Centre, Storefront Gallery, Hat Works and creative workspace at Hat House.
Hat Works will be the entry point for creative entrepreneurs eager to turn their idea into a creative business within a supportive and inspirational environment with like-minded others. Hat Works will provide a range of workspaces that will support the development of a creative community. Here members can develop ideas, collaborate and benefit from affordable and professional workspace. Whilst everyone is welcome, there will be a particular focus on young people and a cohort of pioneer members who are already in place to move in when the interior fit out is complete early this summer.
The ambition is to re-animate the conservation area with cultural activity, care for these important heritage buildings and promote the historic stories of this once vibrant hat trading town. Hat Works is being designed for creative and digital entrepreneurs, innovators and micro-businesses and will provide affordable work and social spaces in an inspiring heritage environment.
Hat Works capital works started in 2017 and the Trust has gratefully received funding to help deliver the much needed care and conservation work. Hat Works has been empty and unused since it last closed as a Hat Factory in 2006. Consequently, it has needed a great deal of careful conservation over the last four years, which included nearly a year of ‘drying out’ after the removal of a Himalayan mould. Local company Neville Special Projects has once more undertaken exemplary work in conserving and developing the Hat Factories under the thoughtful design direction of Fleet Architects, You & Me and with the guidance of Historic England and Luton Borough Council planning department.
For press information please contact Albany Arts Communications:
Carla von der Becke
carla@albanyartscommunications.com
t: +44 (0) 20 78 79 88 95; m: + 44 (0) 79 74 25 29 94
Michelle Allen
michelle@albanyartscommunications.com
t: +44 (0) 20 78 79 88 95; m: +44 (0) 79 22 80 72 39
Notes to Editors
About The Culture Trust Luton
Established in 2008, the Culture Trust, Luton is a vibrant and progressive independent charity and our mission is ‘to connect communities through culture’. We do this through our accredited museums, theatres, galleries, creative workspaces and Arts Centre in Luton. Pre-Covid we attracted over 285,000 visits per annum. We animate six sites: The Hat Factory Arts Centre, Luton Library Theatre, Hat House creative workspace, Storefront Gallery, Wardown House Museum & Gallery and Stockwood Gardens & Museum. We present multi-cultural and year-round programme of events, exhibitions, workshops and performances. We support creative talent and skills by providing opportunities, platforms and cultural career progression for young people. We care for a collection of over 2 million artefacts, 1.5 million photographs and maps and hold the most extensive and complete hat and headwear collection in the UK. We co-produce activity with our community, Museum Makers volunteers and team of cultural experts.
The Trust is funded through an annual donation from London Luton Airport and as a National Portfolio, the Trust also receives regular funding from Arts Council England. The Trust also has a special partnership with Luton Borough Council which includes caring for and sharing the town’s Museums, collections and heritage venues.
The Hat District regeneration project:
Purpose-designed creative work, show and share spaces in the cultural heart of Luton led by The Culture Trust.
Following successful funding bids, the Hat District project was started in the Summer of 2017. The Culture Trust secured £7 million of investment towards developing a collection of inspiring creative work, study and show spaces called The Hat District across 3 former hat factories in Luton’s conservation area. The collection of imposing buildings will provide new workspace for the creative industries, enable additional jobs, further inject life into a vibrant cultural district and attract thousands of new visitors to the area. Furthermore, this ambitious project will protect and refurbish historic buildings for future generations.
The Hat district is considered to be the best located creative cluster in the UK, given its proximity to the mainline station (2mins) and Luton Airport (10 mins).
The Trust is well-placed to inject new life and vibrancy into this run-down area and protect the heritage of these old hat factories that are currently falling into disrepair. Two of these sites, Hat Works and Hat House, were vacant historic hat factories that will be brought back into new use. The Hat Factory Arts Centre has been refurbished to increase and widen access to the arts. The buildings are centrally located in Luton between the station and the town centre. Given the conservation area, consideration is being given to the design and care for the existing properties.
The quality of arts, architecture, design, heritage and conservation will aim to exceed public and user expectations and set new standards for urban regeneration in the town.
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