The Global Alchemy
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26/03/2026
When light becomes language...
We've had the privilege of collaborating with the extraordinary Kari Kola across some of the world's most breathtaking light art projects and watching his latest work, Lighting the Sound, come to life in Albany, Western Australia is nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Produced by FORM WA and funded in partnership by the City of Albany and Lotterywest, this immersive installation transforms King George Sound's natural coastline and landmarks into a meditative canvas of light. Co-designed with Menang Elders and the Albany community, it is rooted in tens of thousands of years of First Nations connection to country and is now the largest light installation on Earth to date. 15km of light art.
This is exactly the kind of investment in public art that transforms communities. Events of this scale don't just move people emotionally, they drive visitation, economic activity, and global attention to the regions and the cultures that inspire them. A profound return on every level.
Kari has always had an extraordinary gift for making us see the world differently, through castles, Stonehenge, symphonies and now the ancient coastline of Menang country. This is light art at its most profound.
The final weekend is this Friday 27th to Sunday 29th March. Entry is free.
🌊 Albany, WA
đź•• Starts 6:00 PM each evening
Don't miss it. 🙏
17/02/2026
Yesterday The Global Alchemy’s Derrin Brown was back at ICMS in the Castle at Manly for a masterclass panel: **Behind the Big Moments: Risk, Power, and Public Reality**.
It was a cracking session alongside Craig Sheridan APM, Fergus Linehan and Kat de Jersey, unpacking what sits underneath the moments people actually remember. Not the glossy highlight reel, but the real mechanics of live delivery: governance, stakeholder dynamics, public accountability, risk discipline, and the calm decision-making that keeps experiences safe, meaningful and on track.
The best part was the students. Their questions were sharp, specific, and practical. They pushed past the romance of “big events” and into the reality of the work: who holds decision rights, how priorities collide under pressure, and what happens when conditions shift in real time and the crowd (quite reasonably) does not care about your run sheet.
A few reflections we’re taking forward:
Risk is not a form. It’s a mindset.
Trust is infrastructure. Without it, no plan survives contact with reality.
Clarity scales. Complexity does not.
Thank you to Janene Wardrop MEM and the ICMS team for the invitation, and for creating space for honest conversations with the next wave of sport, culture and live events leaders.
Two nights. Two venues. One very special kind of magic.
We caught Deacon Blue at Anita’s theater in Thirroul, then again at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre Theatre, with Ricky Ross doing what he does best, turning everyday life into stories that somehow feel like they were written for you.
What stayed with me was the collective effervescence, that shared lift when a full house sings in synchronicity. Not as an audience, but as one voice. Smiling at strangers. Lyrics landing like family history. For a moment, you could feel the room exhale together.
At The Global Alchemy, we talk a lot about experiences that create connection. These concerts were a perfect reminder that the simplest ingredients often hit the hardest: great songwriting, honest storytelling, and a crowd willing to meet it with open hearts.
If you were there, what was your favourite moment?
Destroy All Lines
22/01/2026
We are proud to share that Derrin has again been invited to join the jury for the 16th edition of the Eventex Awards. Thats his third consecutive year!
Eventex celebrates the world's most outstanding events and experiences, recognising work that pushes creative and experiential boundaries. Being trusted to help review projects from across the globe is a genuine honour.
If you are working in events, experiences, or creative innovation, you can find out more and register your interest here: https://eventex.com/
We are looking forward to seeing this years submissions!
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