Water Justice

A lament, an honouring, a call for action.

The Murray-Darling Basin—Australia’s largest river system and integral life source—continues to face ecological decline. Water Justice centres the Barka and Murray rivers as a living, interconnected entity, embodying connection and obligation.

Adrianne is known to Vitals audiences, as Water Justice was first created for Karul Project’s The Walking Track, presented by Vitals in the booked-out 2025 Adelaide Festival season.

This project is part of Vitals’ URGE Development Progam.

URGE is a development stream supporting artists and projects from early ideas through to presentation-ready performance, with developments, residencies, workshops and laboratories taking place both locally and in partnerships across the country.

About the Artist

Adrianne Semmens

Adrianne Semmens is an artist and choreographer and descendant of the Barkandji People of NSW. Her work is centered in stories of place and is shared through live performance, screendance and within gallery spaces. A recurring practice within her work is tracing- exploring the body’s archive and mapping of pathways through movement and the use of textiles.

Adrianne’s screendance film kuntyiri and woven works holding I-III toured nationally as part of the ngaratya group exhibition. Choreographic works include Immerse, commissioned by Australian Dance Theatre, here, unseen (for Fill the Earth), Thread and short dance film Underfoot.

Passionate about arts education and community practice, Adrianne is also the Learning and Community Manager for Australian Dance Theatre.

Men Play

After 100 years of tradition in Australia, a once popular sport played exclusively by men and boys is about to become extinct. Over a series of meetings, a committee of dedicated players scramble to save their sport in the wake of institutional crisis and social change.

See project

About the Artist

Other Projects

Evil Hour

Mortified

Men Play