We’re turning 40!
Vitals was founded in 1984 by Margie Fischer, Ollie Black and Roxxy Bent – a radical and ambitious act by three women determined to make a difference to the opportunities for and workplace experiences of women artists in Australia. This determination to make change still lies at the heart of the organisation.
Vitals began as a company producing new work by women theatre workers for a popular audience, touring extensively in regional South Australia and nationally. The company developed into a national centre for women playwrights and directors in the 1990s.
Vitals has always been deeply engaged with our local context and has been based in Port Adelaide (Yartapuulti) for our entire history, firstly in the old Holden factory adjacent to Jenkins Street and then moving to the heritage-listed Waterside Workers Hall in Nile Street in 1992.
Catherine Fitzgerald took over as Artistic Director of Vitals in 1996. During her time with the company, Vitals commissioned, developed and produced over forty new projects including premiere productions events, national and international tours, developments and play readings.
Maude Davey took up the mantle of Artistic Director for the performance season of 2003, prioritising work that dealt with technology, politics and biology, while looking toward more flexible approaches to performance.
Jane Fuller came on board in 2009 as Creative Producer/Artistic Director and dramatically changed the direction of the company, reimagining Vitals as a supportive creative hub for independent artists and shifting our focus to experimental live arts.
2010 saw the first instalment of our now iconic Adhocracy, a conceptual gift from departing Artistic Director Jane Fuller to the incoming Emma Webb. Emma remained as Artistic Director of Vitals for almost a decade and a half, her creative, progressive and fearless leadership has steering vital cultural and community conversations through the organisation’s multidisciplinary contemporary art and public engagement activities
During this time, Vitals undertook long-term social practice projects such as Cutaway, Climate Century and Bodies of Work; fostered sisterly relationships with artist-run collectives and contemporary performance presenters around Australia; and supported the careers of South Australian, national and international artists with a focus on women, gender diverse, First Nations, queer, and other under-represented artists.
In 2014, we celebrated our 30th birthday.
In early 2024, Artistic Director Emma Webb OAM stepped down after an incredible 14-year tenure. In August 2024, long-term Vitals-collaborator Jennifer Greer Holmes was appointed as the new Artistic Director.
As we celebrate our 40th birthday, we are excited to deliver a new vision and look forward to the next 40 years of Vitals.
