Moving the Rights of Rivers
Moving the Rights of Rivers is a performance taking place along rivers exemplifying their value and interconnected nature, celebrating them as national treasures, and advocating for their rights. Moving the Rights of Rivers brings people into contact with rivers through observation, stewardship and exploration and creates performances and avenues for advocacy, action and collaboration. Unique to each location, the project contains common elements including engagement of local communities around one of their most precious resources and celebratory performances. Aligned with the rights of nature movement, it acknowledges nature’s intrinsic value, shifting and restoring our connection to water.
Background (Why):
Historically, rivers have served many roles and purposes, from transportation route connecting people and places, to food and recreation source providing sustenance, nourishment and enjoyment, to water source both for intake and deposit. By the mid-20th Century, many of America’s rivers were extremely polluted. The Clean Water Act helped address water quality, but many waterways continue to suffer from industrial pollutants and sediments, algae blooms and trace contaminants, sewage overflows and plastic pollution and even extinction. Today water is a politically charged issue with innumerable human rights violations. Moving the Rights of Rivers asks us to consider our personal and collective responsibility to rivers, and by extension, the earth and our fellow inhabitants, and the innate rights of rivers and nature.
The Process (How):
Moving the Rights of Rivers is envisioned in three phases at each location: 1) exploration, listening and learning; 2) creation and movement building; and, 3) performance celebration and action. This is realize by working with presenter, education and environmental partners to construct experiences relevant to the geography and population. Initiating a new location requires conversations and coordination to commence at least one year in advance of the performance culmination, includes several visits, and a 4-7 day residency that includes numerous and varied engagement activities.