Umoona Community Art Centre is an Indigenous-owned and governed organisation, located in Umoona community, Coober Pedy, in the north of South Australia. Established in 2020, Umoona Arts joins neighbouring art centres on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands with the central aim of building capacity for sustainable employment pathways through the art centre. Since its formation, artists have worked tirelessly and with a collective passion and focus to make their dream of owning and operating a permanent art centre a reality. Umoona artists and directors officially opened their purpose-built art centre studio in Umoona in early 2024.
Umoona community is diverse, with artists from different language groups across the central desert working alongside those who have always called Umoona and Coober Pedy home. Over 30 artists, aged from 16-70 work at Umoona Arts. Umoona artists embrace a variety of mediums, including acrylic paint on linen, punu and carving (traditional woodwork) and tjanpi (fibre weaving) with works demonstrating a diversity of styles alongside a vibrant use of colour and energetic mark making.
Recent achievements from the Umoona Arts studio include Jeannie Minunga, Kay Finn and Myra Kumantjara nominated as finalists in the 2022 Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW. George Cooley nominated in the 2023 and 2024 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, the 2024 Wynne Prize and 2024 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art at the Art Gallery of South Australia .
