The Fleurieu Arthouse - How it all Began

Art galleries in Adelaide have always been an important part of society. Adelaide has a long history with art and The South Australian Society of Arts was founded as early as 1856. It wouldn’t become The Royal South Australian Society of Arts until 1935 when a Royal Charter was granted by King George V.

Considering the city itself was only founded in 1836, the fact that the people had established a society within 20 years is an indicator of just how important art was to those early Europeans who arrived in the region to make it their home.

The original society held a yearly exhibition in rooms in the South Australian Institute off Kintore Street. The earliest works on display were produced by students of the school of art which was attached to the society and within a few years, pieces were loaned by ST Gill and Col. William Light among other private collectors.

Still, it wasn’t until 1880 that the government awarded the society the sum of 2000 pounds in order to allow the acquisition of more diverse art.

Since those very early days, art galleries in Adelaide have continued to spring up - and not only the city centre, but in rural and suburban towns across S.A.

How did Fleurieu Arthouse begin?

Back in August of 2017, Anna Small and Warren Pickering, owners of A Small Art Factory, opened the doors of Fleurieu Arthouse for the first time.

The exterior of Fleurieu Arthouse featuring signage created by Anna Small and Warren Pickering

The idea of a gallery which also hosted resident artists had been germinating in the minds of the couple for some time and when the venue at Hardy’s Tintara, 202 Main Road in McLaren Vale became vacant, they knew it was the perfect location.

A large, old industrial process building which had originally been used to make and store cherry brandy amongst other things, the space came complete with massive, weathered old barrels and antique presses too large to move.

Undeterred, Anna and Warren simply made them part of the gallery’s display and Warren meticulously built the individual studios for the resident artists using timber supplied by the winery.

Anna reached out to local artists and soon, the space was filled with paintings, prints, jewellery, ceramics and sculpture - not to mention artists!

The studios are almost always filled to capacity and have been since day one. The Arthouse is a wonderful community in which artists may support one another and grow their businesses under the umbrella of the entity which Anna and Warren created more than half a decade ago.

Not “just” a gallery

The Arthouse is really four areas in one - there’s the design space, which is the first space visitors walk into upon arrival. That’s full to the brim with high-quality art in the form of original paintings and handmade prints, ceramics and glass, jewellery, textiles, sculpture and accessories. Then there’s the coffee bar tucked in a corner of the design space and serving fresh, barista-made coffee and locally baked cakes and pastries.

Then there’s the gallery itself which hosts a new exhibition each month and of course, the artist’s studios with 8 spaces for working artists.

The Arthouse plays host to many special events and openings as well as art classes - both regular and special one-off workshops.

Aiming to be an immersive experience for both visitors and residents alike, the Arthouse has a warm and welcoming atmosphere - people call in and stick around for far longer than they might linger in a traditional gallery.

Conceived as a space to offer the best in locally produced artworks whilst at the same time offering a safe space to creatives, the Arthouse continues to thrive against the odds - even Covid couldn’t dampen the spirits of the Arthouse and it closed for barely 2 weeks during the height of the pandemic.

What’s next?

Many plans are in the pipeline for the Arthouse including a Winter Festival and more Paint and Sip evenings - both with dates still to be confirmed.

If you’re interested in attending any of our classes, keep an eye on our Instagram or watch our events page for announcements.

The Arthouse is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and some Mondays - opening hours are 11.00am till 4.00pm

Please call 08 7288 3095 with any enquiries