The Pinnaroo Project
What started as a 3 year health intiative to study the impact of participating in art on health and wellness in a rural community has now transformed into ongoing arts events, workshops and a dedicated Hub space.
The Pinnaroo Project is passionate about helping the Pinnaroo community connect and take part in the arts. We host art and wellbeing based workshops and events in Pinnaroo and surrounding district. Bringing many new skills and hobbies to our region with workshops from leather making to pottery, watercolour to silk scarves, basket making to photography. We have engaged artists both locally and from further afield to bring their skills and knowledge to our town – most unique and different from what Pinnaroo has seen before.
Between 2021 and 2024, in collaboration with Flinders University, The Pinnaroo Project was a part of a study to determine the correlation between the participation in the arts and the impact on the health and wellbeing of the Pinnaroo residents. The results of the study have been published and highlight a huge impact on the mental health and wellbeing of the Pinnaroo community, and the power of arts in our rural South Australian town.
“The pursuit of art on a regular basis may be the key to healing our minds and bodies”
— Kim Blair
The Pinnaroo Project team
This project wouldn’t be possible without our local Pinnaroo team of dedicated volunteers. Our fantastic team have launched this project off the ground and continue to organise and host arts and wellbeing workshops and events for the regions residents.
Debrah Colwill
Julie Wallis
Di Thornton
Rebecca Niejalke
Michelle Thomas
Melissa Smyth
Caroline Michell
Karalee Handreck
Morrison Polkinghorne
The Pinnaroo Project has been a long endeavour, developed from concept to reality over many years. We have had the privilege of working and having support from other individuals who have also had a huge impact on the success of this project.
A big thank you for their contribution along the way:
Paul Gazzola and OSCA
Jason Taylor
PJ Cowley
Sunyl Vogt
Jill Nickolls
Maz McGann
Rebecca Boseley
Tracey Daniel
Guy Badman
Ali Krollig
Alison Howard
Elise Kennedy
Liz Moyle
Robyn Clark and the Flinders University Research team
The Pinnaroo Project 