Bringing stories to life: Spinifex Hill Studio wraps up Remote Art Project with Strelley Community School

West Australian

09-06-2025

With a focus on play, experimentation and preservation of culture, Spinifex Hill Studio recently wrapped up its remote art school project in collaboration with Strelley Community School, located 60km east of Port Hedland.
Art students were able to engage with practising artists in a cross-generational setting. Many of them were their community-based peers and family members.
'A majority of artists in the studio are aunties and uncles and nannas and pops of the students,' Spinifex Hill Studio arts coordinator Rekeshia Goodwin said.
'We showed them a few different creative ways of telling their stories.
'Then it jumped from that to a mural design. We gave them different types of mediums to use and they wanted to know a bit more so they can practise and potentially do their own murals at the school.'
At the end of the project, the children worked together to paint a large canvas mural which they could take back and display at their school.
The remote art school project was funded as part of Pilbara Minerals' (PLS) annual community grants program, which provides a one-off payment of up to $10,000 to initiatives in the priority communities of Port Hedland, Strelley and Yandeyarra, and to Pilbara-wide initiatives.
'Through the community grants program, we're empowering local organisations to drive the initiatives that matter most to their communities, whether that's enhancing educational opportunities, building community resilience, or supporting the energy transition,' PLS' chief sustainability officer Sandra McInnes said.
Community organisations can apply for the next round of grants, which are open until June 30.