Lydia Kellner

Updated 19 Oct 2023, 9:28am

First published 19 Oct 2023, 10:46am

News Corp Australia Network

Artwork for 2 Beatrice Street, Prospect

---

It has served as a melting pod for countless local artists, hosted international guest speakers and spawned many notable artistic endeavours for almost 50 years.

Now, the Prospect property at 2 Beatrice St, which was the home of renowned Adelaide artist and activist Ann Newmarch since 1976, has been listed for sale.

The property’s upcoming auction next month is expected to fetch a hefty sum and includes five bedrooms, three bathrooms and multiple living spaces.

A rear warehouse-style studio, meanwhile, spans more than 207sq m and has two dark rooms, an additional bedroom or office, as well as a garage.

2 Beatrice Street, Prospect. Pic: realestate.com.au

---

2 Beatrice Street, Prospect. Pic: realestate.com.au

---

2 Beatrice Street, Prospect. Pic: realestate.com.au

---

2 Beatrice Street, Prospect. Pic: realestate.com.au

---

The home is being sold by the family, which includes former partner David Kerr, who said the home had been a community asset for well over four decades.

Besides raising three children in the home, Mr Kerr said Ms Newmarch used the studio as a space for paint and printmaking workshops, musical rehearsals and in 1982 and 1983 hosted the first national community project to be funded by the Australian Council.

Ms Newmarch is known as a leading artist of the 1970s women’s movement, with her work, particularly in screen printing, seeing her awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 1989 for her services to the arts.

“Annie developed a number of projects with the Prospect community, including a Recollections of Prospect book, community banners, and Elderly Citizen’s mural, the Stobie Pole project, silk-screen printing workshops, a calendar project and community exhibitions,” Mr Kerr said.

MORE NEWS

Family selling $3m dream home built after devastating fire

Coorong shacks offer chance to follow in footsteps of Storm Boy

Why this mansion is tipped to smash its suburb’s record

“These early years of the studio’s work with the community led to a number of articles in local, national and international magazines and became a reference point for the early development of this arts practice in Australia.”

Mr Kerr said the decision to sell had been made with a heavy heart.

He said he hoped a community-minded buyer would secure the winning bid on auction day.

“It’s been good working on the place to get it ready for sale because we sort of rediscovered the home that we lived in for so many years, one that was a very special place,” he said.

“So there’s certainly been some nostalgia and the sale is bittersweet, but I am hopeful that someone will buy it who wants to make it an active place again.”

2 Beatrice Street, Prospect. Pic: realestate.com.au

---

2 Beatrice Street, Prospect. Pic: realestate.com.au

---

2 Beatrice Street, Prospect. Pic: realestate.com.au

---

2 Beatrice Street, Prospect. Pic: realestate.com.au

---

Selling agent Georgie Todd, of Harris Real Estate, said the property was already attracting a multitude of buyers.

“Because it’s such a unique opportunity to have that space (in the rear), it’s been appealing to quite a broad range of buyers,” she said.

“I have been in touch with similar artists that want to live in the front and use the space at the back as a studio but I think it would also be great for people who collect cars.

“There are some people who are looking at the land to develop it potentially but I think realistically, we’re hoping it will go to someone who wants to use that space for something creative.”

The property will be auctioned at 4pm on November 4.

Prospect has a median house price of $1.049m, according to PropTrack data.