Vitalstatistix a radical, ambitious project to back creative women, from base at historic Port Adelaide WWF hall
Vitalstatistix, supporting women's creativity, had its home in South Australian state-heritage-listed Waterside Workers Hall in Nile Street, Port Adelaide, with an-already important cultural history of activism.
Vitalstatistix, based at Port Adelaide, was founded in 1984 to support creative women using contemporary culture, art, performance and progressive commentary.
Vitalstatistix (Vitals) was founded in 1984 by Margie Fischer, Ollie Black and Roxxy Bent, as a radical and ambitious act, to make a difference to the opportunities for and workplace experiences of women artists in Australia. It was based in the South Australian state-heritage-listed Waterside Workers Hall in Nile Street, Port Adelaide, with an-already important cultural history of activism.
Vitalstatistix aimed to be a vibrant home on the Port River for creative women using contemporary culture, art, performance and progressive commentary. It supported live, multi-discipline works and experiments with ideas, forms and engagement. Performance, residencies, projects, events, exhibitions, festivals experiences, collaborations were part of its offerings.
Among Vitalstatistix’s annual programmes were:
• Residencies supporting the creative development and premiere of new works, and nourished long term relationships between artists and Vitalstatistix.
• Adhocracy: the annual hothouse, supporting critical discussion and developing of experimental, multidisciplinary arts projects in early stages; including national keynote projects and new opportunities for local artists.
• Contemporary Communities: multi-year projects commissioning new art and performance around contemporary issues, experimentation and deep social engagement.
• Commissions: annual and biennial commissioning partnerships with local and national collaborators.
• Presentation programmes: seasons and exhibitions of contemporary performance and art.
• Leadership and sector development: initiatives such as around women and non-binary leadership and workplace safety. Annual talks and works in progress programme, and other advocacy and communications with artists.