Temperance Hall began life in 1863, built for the Emerald Hill Total Abstinence Society as a venue for alcohol-free concerts, dances and community meetings. A decorative facade and a double-storey wing of lodgings and a lecture hall were added in 1888, giving the building the form it holds today. Over the decades it hosted local clubs, political meetings and social groups, and is even said to be where the South Melbourne Football Club, now the Sydney Swans, held its founding meeting in 1874. Following restoration works carried out with heritage specialists Working Heritage in 2016, the building became home to contemporary dance company Phillip Adams BalletLab, who now curate and manage the space. Temperance Hall's Main Hall measures roughly 15.5 by 9 metres, with a small stage, PA system, projector and seating for up to 100 people, or standing room for 200. Upstairs, a light-filled timber-floored studio with heritage details suits smaller rehearsals, classes and creative development, with capacity for up to 85 people standing or 50 seated. Both spaces are available for hire for rehearsals, workshops, performances, photo and film shoots and special events, with discounted rates for artists and not-for-profit organisations. The Hall also runs a Front Studio Residents program supporting independent artists, alongside a changing calendar of dance, theatre and interdisciplinary projects.