Lion Arts Factory guide: parking, capacity, trams and getting home

Lion Arts Factory is the live music room inside the old Fowler's Lion Factory at 68 North Terrace, on the corner of Morphett Street in Adelaide's West End. Look for the red-brick building with a stone lion on the roof and yellow "custard" dripping over the windows. It's a standing room of around 500, with a second, smaller stage at the front, and it books a bit of everything: punk, metal, indie, tribute nights and club parties.

What catches people out is how little the venue publishes. There's no bag policy, no parking page and no door-time rule on its website, so a lot of this guide is about where the gaps are and what to do about them. We checked the venue's own pages, its venue specs document, the City of Adelaide and nearby car park operators on 2 October 2026. Adelaide Metro's website blocked our research tool, so for transport we've kept to the basics and point you to its journey planner. For everything else on in town, see concerts in Adelaide.

Quick facts

How do I get to Lion Arts Factory?

It's on North Terrace at the western edge of the city centre, so public transport is easy and walking from the CBD is fine.

Tram

The trams run right along North Terrace, past Adelaide Railway Station, on the line between the Entertainment Centre and the Botanic Gardens. Wikipedia's Adelaide Metro article says that whole line is inside the free tram zone, so a tram ride along North Terrace shouldn't cost you anything. Fares and the free zone can change, so check Adelaide Metro before you travel.

The venue doesn't say which stop is closest, so check the Adelaide Metro journey planner for your trip.

Train

Adelaide Railway Station is also on North Terrace. Check your line's times in the journey planner, particularly for the trip home.

Bus

Adelaide Metro's City Connector buses (98A, 98C, 99A and 99C) loop around the city centre free of charge, according to Wikipedia. They're handy for getting to the show, but check when the last one runs before you count on one to get home. For other buses, use the journey planner.

Taxi and rideshare

The venue doesn't name a taxi rank or a pick-up spot. Agree on a meeting point nearby before the show, so you're not hunting for your driver on a busy North Terrace.

Is there parking at Lion Arts Factory?

Not for punters. There's a courtyard at the back, but the venue's specs document for touring bands says "there is no parking on-site in the courtyard", and car access there is capped at 15 minutes for loading gear.

Free parking near Lion Arts Factory

The same document, written for bands, points to "free street parking in adjacent streets" and a Wilson car park about 400m away on Hindley Street. It's the only place the venue mentions street parking. It doesn't say which streets, what time limits apply or when the free period starts, so read every sign before you leave the car. The City of Adelaide has an online parking map showing the time limits on each street.

Paid car parks nearby

The venue only names the Wilson car park on Hindley Street. These two car parks are also in the West End. We've taken the details from the operators' own pages, but neither operator mentions the venue.

All three are paid. Check rates and closing times with the operator before you go, especially for a late finish.

Accessible parking

The venue doesn't mention accessible parking. The City of Adelaide says that if your Disability Parking Permit is clearly displayed, you can park in a standard time-limited space with extra time on top of the signed limit, and in a paid street space you don't have to pay. The council says this doesn't apply in UPark or other off-street car parks, where you pay as normal, though UPark offers an Accessibility Pass for limited free parking.

Capacity: how big is Lion Arts Factory?

Small enough to see the band from anywhere, big enough for touring acts. As of 2 October 2026, the venue's own figures are:

• Main room: "Our main room can comfortably fit 500 – 550 payers."
• Front bar and mezzanine: "able to host up to 400." It's a second, more intimate stage for smaller shows.
• Seated events: about 200 in the main room for comedy, talks and presentations.
• Whole venue: the functions page says up to 550 for a party using every space.

Wikipedia gives a capacity of 500. The venue's 2024 specs document gives the front room "a cap of up to 300", lower than the 400 on its website, so the smaller room's real limit may depend on how it's set up.

Is there seating at Lion Arts Factory?

Mostly no. Gigs here are general admission standing: the Moshtix event we checked on 2 October 2026 sold only "General Admission" ticket types. The venue only mentions seating for "comedy/speaking events/presentations", when the main room is set up for about 200.

There's no seating plan to look at, because there are no allocated seats at a standing gig. If you need a seat for health or access reasons, email hello@lionartsfactory.com.au before the show.

The venue describes "high ceilings, great sight lines, multiple bars, chill areas, a smoking area." The main stage is 13m wide and 900mm high, with about 7m by 3.5m visible to the crowd, according to the specs document, so the band sits well above the floor. The mezzanine gives you a view from higher up when it's open. When the venue was refitted in 2019, Wikipedia says, the main stage was extended to 13 metres and the mezzanine reopened.

Bag policy: what can you bring?

The venue doesn't publish one. Its website, its venue specs and the Moshtix event pages we read on 2 October 2026 don't list bag sizes or banned items. That doesn't mean anything goes: promoters can set their own rules show by show.

Is there a cloakroom?

Yes, but don't count on it. The venue says it offers a cloakroom "to store personal items during the show, however, please note that this is dependent on space and availability per show." It charges a small per-person fee, listed on its Venue page.

Set times and doors

The venue doesn't publish a general door time or set times. The time on a Moshtix listing (7pm or 7:30pm for the gigs we checked on 2 October 2026) is the event time, not when the headliner goes on. Club nights and parties can run much later: Wikipedia says the venue opens until 5am on weekends.

For set times, check the event page on Moshtix and the venue's Facebook and Instagram on the day. Promoters often post them there.

Age rules and ID: can under-18s go?

Some shows, yes. A number of Lion Arts gigs sell separate "General Admission - 18+" and "General Admission - U18" tickets on Moshtix, which means the show is open to under-18s, while others are 18+ only. A few events, such as the TONIX EP launch on the What's On page, put "(18+)" in the show name.

The venue's website doesn't publish an age or ID policy. If you're 18 or over and want to drink, bring current government photo ID. Check the age rule on your event page before you buy.

Accessibility

The venue's accessibility section, as of 2 October 2026, says:

• Entry: "A Side ramp is available to access the building."
• Toilets: "Accessible toilets are available adjacent to the venue and can be opened at the request of venue staff should they be required." In other words, the accessible toilets are next door rather than inside, so ask a staff member when you arrive.
• Questions: email hello@lionartsfactory.com.au.

The venue's pages don't mention a Companion Card policy, a viewing platform, a hearing loop or sensory support. If you need any of those, email the venue before you book.

Food and drink

The venue mentions "multiple bars" and a smoking area. The main room and front room each have a fully stocked bar, according to the functions page, and there's a beer garden. The venue's pages don't say what food is sold on gig nights, so eat before you go. Hindley Street and the West End are close by.

Tickets

The venue's What's On page links each show to Moshtix. Some shows also appear on Ticketmaster. Buy through the link on the venue's What's On page so you know you're on an authorised site.

Getting home after the show

Trains, trams and buses get you home, but last services depend on your line and the day of the week. We couldn't check Adelaide Metro's timetables or its late-night services, so look up your last service in the Adelaide Metro journey planner before the encore, especially for a late club night.

A bit of history

The building is older than any of the bands that play in it. Wikipedia says the Fowler's "Lion" Factory was designed by architect Frank Counsell for the wholesale grocers D. & J. Fowler Ltd in 1906, and was used for packing Fowler's Lion brand flour. The lion on top is a 1988 copy; the original went with the company. The eastern wing was knocked down in 1966 when Morphett Street was widened.

From the 1970s the empty factory became home to the Adelaide Fringe's club, and in 1992 it was converted into the Lion Arts Centre, with studios, galleries and arts organisations upstairs. The yellow "custard" over the walls, Wikipedia says, signals the change from factory to arts use. The JamFactory and Mercury Cinema sit next door.

Music on the ground floor goes back to Fowler's Live, which opened on 4 July 2003 and closed at the end of 2018. Five Four Entertainment and the team from the West Oak Hotel then won the lease and reopened the room as Lion Arts Factory from 1 January 2019, after a renovation that opened the boarded-up windows and stripped the paint off the brick. The venue's specs document acknowledges that it stands on Kaurna land.

Before you go

• Check your event page for the start time, the age rule and whether it's 18+ or all ages.
• Bring government photo ID if you're 18 or over.
• Pack light. There's no published bag policy and the cloakroom depends on space.
• Plan your tram or train, and check your last service home in the Adelaide Metro journey planner.
• Driving? Read the street signs carefully, or pick a paid car park and check its closing time.
• Need access help or a seat? Email hello@lionartsfactory.com.au before the show.

Upcoming shows at Lion Arts Factory