But from October, the much-loved Trades Hall venue Bella Union will close after 12 years of programming events at multiple venues within the historic Carlton building.

Bella Union founder and director Catherine Woodfield said Trades Hall rejected her application in December last year for a five-year extension of the company's lease, which expires in October.

She said Bella Union asked Trades Hall to extend the lease for an extra eight weeks beyond the October deadline to allow programming to continue over the venue's peak period until January.

But Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari said this was not possible, with renovation works to the building set to begin.

Mr Hilakari said Bella Union had received no guarantees that its lease would be extended.

"Quite the opposite," he said. "They were on a five-year lease with an option for another five years, which they took up."

He said the hall would close for the duration of the $10 million renovation, funded by Living Heritage.

"We have an opportunity now where we have to basically repair the hall. It's a beautiful hall but there are a lot of problems with it.

Those problems included restricted wheelchair access, which was "unacceptable", Mr Hilakari said.

"If you've got a disability and you want to enter the hall, and you're in a wheelchair, you have to wheel underneath the boom gates, get to a lift in the back building, go up the back building and go all the way round.

"It's not accessible for people to come straight in the front door. That's not acceptable for us."

The works will include repairs to roofing, plumbing, electrics, as well as restoration work on murals and floors inside and the installation of two new lifts, including one with wheelchair accessibility, as well as new toilets and meeting spaces.

Mr Hilakari said Trades Hall gave Bella Union a year's notice that the lease would not be renewed due to the works, expected to be completed by mid-2018.

"We can't do the works and keep the bar open, it's just not going to be safe."

Mr Hilakari said Trades Hall experienced some "difficulties" with Bella Union's management, but did not elaborate.

Trades Hall would seek expressions of interest in new managers for the space once the renovation is finished, and remained committed to the arts, he said.

"We would be looking for new management in that space. It was time for a change for us.

"We still want it to be a creative space, we still want people to come here and see Trades Hall and enjoy the history of it, we still want it to be a place for music."

Ms Woodfield said it was possible Bella Union will continue, either in pop-up venues or a new permanent home.

"I think we'll probably have a few pop-up events that we would normally do here, at other venues," she said.

"We've got a few irons in the fire with regards to productions, and that's exciting.

"The name and the business all leaves Trades Hall at the end of the lease, so that's ours. Hopefully once the dust clears we might find out whether there's another space we could call Bella Union," she said.

"We have very much enjoyed it ... It's been lovely so see that we have touched many peoples lives in so many ways.

"We are going to make sure she goes out in a blaze of glory."