Mini-Cine

Conceived by South Australian artist Sarah Tickle, Mini-Cine is a meticulously handcrafted model of a glamorous Art Deco picture house. Installed within ACE’s street-facing stairwell window, the tiny cinema glows around the clock, presenting experimental moving image work for passersby to encounter at any hour.

The inaugural work screening inside Mini-Cine is Tickle’s Dear Diary (2026), a kaleidoscopic video work that brings together intimate, confessional moments through the artist’s distinctive video-mashup style.

Inspired by the grand picture houses of Hollywood’s Golden Age, the intricate worlds of dioramas and international experiments in miniature cinema, Mini-Cine transforms ACE’s window into a cinematic universe of its own. The project invites commuters, late-night wanderers, art lovers and curious passersby to pause, peer inside and experience contemporary art beyond traditional gallery hours.

Mini-Cine marks the beginning of a new experimental platform at ACE, creating further opportunities for moving image works to be presented in an accessible, street-facing format.

Feature Image: 'Mini-Cine' (2026), Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Lana Adams.