The Experimental Art Foundation (EAF) was created in the Adelaide suburb of St Peters[1] in 1974 by a breakaway group of CACSA members, with the intention of focusing on "more radical, multi-disciplinary and performance work".

By contrast the EAF, did not commit to a set of agreed aims, and stated that they had an "open ended" attitude against mainstream, non-conformism as against entrenched doctrines, "experimentation as against patrician formalism".

[6] In 1992 the re-purposed factory building which became the Lion Arts Centre included a purpose-built gallery, artist studios, offices and the Dark Horsey Bookshop, which focused on art-related publications.

Arts SA provided funding for the two organisations to cover operational costs for 2017, which enabled planning for the merger, which was named ACE Open.

[2] The new gallery opened its inaugural exhibition, BLACKFLAG, featuring the work of South Australian painter Christian Lock, on 15 March 2017.

Rainer Jozeps was chair of the board, which included artist James Darling AM and writer and museum curator Jared Thomas.