Live calligraphy in the Hat District with Abu Yahya

The Culture Trust Luton has commissioned acclaimed local artist Abu Yahya to create a new series of large-scale calligraphy works in the Hat District, as part of Heritage Open Days 2025. The works will unfold live across the week of 12 – 21 September, drawing visitors' attention to the historic fabric of Luton’s former Hat Factories.
Abu, known for his dynamic visual style and engaging public commissions, will be animating the upper windows of Hat Factory Arts Centre and Hat Works with a new collection of Arabic-inspired calligraphy using temporary chalk pen drawings. This evolving display will emerge gradually across the week, with Abu working live during daytime hours between 12 and 16 September. Passers-by and visitors will be encouraged to pause, look up, and interact with the artist as he works.
Drawn with a white chalk, Abu’s calligraphy is intentionally temporary yet striking - a poetic gesture that mirrors the passing nature of moments and memory. The choice of medium allows the work to sit lightly on the glass, catching the light by day and glowing softly at night, inviting reflection on the fragility and resilience of cultural expression. The windows become not just surfaces but spaces of invitation - to slow down, look closer, and see the old buildings anew.
The windows face one of the busiest pedestrian routes in Luton, with over 8,000 people moving daily between the town centre and the station. A targeted promotional campaign will further encourage people to stop

Timings & Tours

Friday 12 September:

10am to 5pm

Saturday 13 September:

10am to 5pm

Sunday 14 September:

10am to 5pm

Monday 15 September:

10am to 5pm

Tuesday 16 September:

10am to 5pm

Wednesday 17 September:

10am to 5pm

Thursday 18 September:

10am to 5pm

Friday 19 September:

10am to 5pm

Saturday 20 September:

10am to 5pm

Sunday 21 September:

10am to 5pm

Location & directions

65-67 Bute Street, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 2EY

Contact on day:

Jakub Rokita

Telephone number:

+441582878100

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

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