Transforming a community through art

CYBEC Foundation

Art has transformed the mental and physical health of a rural community, thanks to a pioneering partnership between Flinders University and The Pinnaroo Project, supported by Cybec Foundation.

Australia’s rural communities are under enormous strain, with high unemployment rates, a dependence on primary industries impacted by climate change, and poor access to quality education and healthcare services.

The remote town of Pinnaroo, located on South Australia's eastern border, has felt each of these challenges acutely.

Recently, the town lost one of its two general practitioners, leaving just one doctor to serve the region’s 1,200 residents and two hospitals, situated 50 kilometres apart.

Catherine Wegener with Sarita Prabhakaran

Jo Greathead

Compounding the issue and the need for urgent support, a 2020 community survey revealed that nearly one-third of Pinnaroo’s residents suffered mild-to-severe symptoms of depression.

Believing the benefits of art held some of the answers, the local Mallee Arts Group approached Flinders University’s Professor Robyn Clark to lead a first-of-its-kind study to discover whether introducing more art and culture into people’s lives could improve the mental health and wellbeing of the Pinnaroo community.

“There is scientific evidence that art can positively impact health, from lowering blood pressure to encouraging healthier habits and improved diet,” says Professor Clark who leads Acute Care and Cardiovascular Research at Flinders University’s Caring Futures Institute.

“We wanted to see if art could improve the health of a whole community.”

With a $60,000 donation from Cybec Foundation, along with government grants, The Pinnaroo Project kicked off in 2021 and included more than 120 local arts workshops and events across three years.

“We are delighted to be a part of this innovative project that carries at its core the message that the arts and related activities bring significant health benefits,” says Cybec Foundation Director David Middleton.

“Cybec Foundation’s mission is to foster a better and fairer society, and we’re thrilled to see this vision realised through this meaningful arts engagement initiative.”

Alongside new opportunities to engage in arts activities, project participants underwent annual clinical health screenings and were surveyed by Professor Clark and cardiovascular researcher Sara Noonan about their health and lifestyle.

The unique study was co-designed with the local community, led by Julie Wallis and Deb Colwill, and included more than a third of Pinnaroo’s population – a remarkable level of volunteer involvement.

“The activities created a platform for people to meet and connect outside the traditional rural pastimes of local sport or the pub,” says Julie.

“We have seen the engagement of isolated individuals, some of whom have been local residents for many years.”

Health screenings took place in schools, workplaces, service and sporting clubs, with keen support from the local Men’s Shed – alongside expert talks on various health issues.

Local men, who might not typically engage in the arts, enthusiastically participated in creative projects from welding decorative flowers to making lanterns, installing ceramic artworks around the Soldiers' Memorial, and painting public murals throughout the town.

“Seeing these country men engage with artistic projects like welding flowers was incredibly rewarding. It shifted their mindset and opened them up to trying new things,” says Professor Clark.

Studying the impacts of art on health across a whole community was new – and the results are impressive.

By the end of the three-year study, over 90 percent of The Pinnaroo Project participants – many of whom had never engaged with the arts before – reported significant benefits from the activities, such as reduced stress, improved social connections and new skills.

Participants reported a ten percent decrease in experiencing any depression, with a further ten percent reduction in those experiencing moderate to severe depression. The number of smokers also decreased, from 15 percent to seven percent of the population.

“Our results showed that the overall health of the whole Pinnaroo community improved during the evaluation period,” says Professor Clark.

“The benefits of art and community engagement on health and wellbeing are clear.”

And the longer-term impacts are even more remarkable.

Earlier this year – five years after the project launch – Professor Clark visited Pinnaroo and reports that a new resilience has emerged in the town.

“While sadly there have been suicides in nearby communities as a result of the drought, Pinnaroo has not been impacted,” says Professor Clark.

She also notes that Pinnaroo’s Skylight country mental health support program has closed.

“The boost to the community’s mental health has been so great that they no longer need the government service.

“We weren’t expecting these ripple effects – it’s such an incredible outcome and with philanthropic support we will be able to see the project implemented in other rural towns.”