People behind the Festival

The Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival is a promoted by the not-for-profit organisation The Penola Festival Association Incorporated ABN 22 053 590 901, a Federally registered cultural organisation with deductible gift recipient status. The Arts Festival is run by a volunteer committee who give their time, skills and experience for the success of the Festival. It relies on the financial support of sponsors, friends, our community and visitors.

We are always looking for fun, creative, people to join! If you are interested, please contact us: [email protected]

2021 Committee:

  • John Mossop – Chairperson
  • Sophie Angus – Secretary
  • Anna Young – Treasurer
  • Lois Hodge – Honorary Life Member
  • Anna Copping
  • Eliza Berlage
  • Benedetta Rusconi
  • Cathy Schmidt
  • Jacinta Jenkins
  • Jane Pearce
  • Lesley Okholm
  • Simon Weston

The Committee is also very thankful to have an experienced group of additional volunteers, who assist in the running of the Festival, many of them past Committee members. Particular thanks to the active roles of:

  • Leigh Robb of the Art Gallery of South Australia – Judge of John Shaw Neilson and Design prizes
  • Alex Lambert – Photography
  • Cate Bell – Design Prize steward
  • Christy Radford – Photography
  • Dee Nolan – Guest speaker and Catherine Martin Literary prize judge
  • Gail Adams – Support
  • Goodyear Autocare Penola – Tyre for Kids Program
  • Graham Adams – Public Officer
  • Guy Detot – Shopfront
  • Harriet Mort – Streetscape wired flowers
  • Isabell Heysen – John Shaw Neilson prize packer and hanger
  • Justin McDonald – John Shaw Neilson prize packer and hanger
  • Karen Robinson – Shopfront
  • Katie Moorhouse – Public relations
  • Marg Muller – John Shaw Neilson Prize steward
  • Nikki Cook – Catherine Martin Literary Prize coordinator
  • Katie Spain – Guest speaker and Catherine Martin Literary Prize judge
  • Kat Searcy – Penola Visitor Information Centre
  • Natalie Burgess – Print
  • Stella Scanlon – Photography
  • Susie Kidman and the Penola-Coonawarra Book Club – Literary brunch
  • Peter Goers – Guest speaker
  • Rhett McDonald – Support
  • Sally McDonald – Design and website
  • Vicki McDonald-Burgess – Penola High School coordinator

We thank all of our volunteers for their generous support.