The Horton Arts Centre, Epsom opened as an independent arts venue in 2022 following a three-year £3m capital renovation project.

The formerly semi-derelict Horton Asylum Chapel was saved by our charity (HCAHS), a Trust set up specifically to undertake the renovation project and run The Horton as a not-for-profit cultural venue. The Horton is an inspiring space, where people engage with the arts and local history at the heart of the community.

The listed building is a site of national historical importance. Built in 1901, it has a pioneering history of mental health care and was Europe’s first music therapy centre from the 1950s.The Horton has gained a reputation for delivering a high-quality arts programme in an area where there is significant inequality and poor mental health.Our programme includes contemporary touring small-scale theatre, live music, dance, cross-genre performance, creative arts workshops, exhibitions, community projects, and we host a permanent exhibition about the history of Epsom’s psychiatric hospital cluster and the people who lived and worked there.The heritage of the site is embedded into the culture of our public programme. The Horton draws upon its rich history and seeks to celebrate inclusivity. The venue is open five days a week and is free to enter.Our community projects are focused within the borough of Epsom & Ewell but the artists we support and commission, are from all over the UK. Our audience is mostly from the wider Surrey region.