As the sun sets over Perth’s Kings Park, a new artistic beacon has emerged, illuminating the city and sparking conversation. The Perth Festival, now in its seventh decade, has launched its 2026 program with Karla Bidi, a stunning light and sound installation stretching along the Swan River – or Derbarl Yerrigan, as it’s known in the Noongar language.
The installation, comprised of eleven distinct points of light and sound from Mandoon (Guildford) to Walyalup (Fremantle), isn’t merely a visual spectacle. It’s a deliberate act of connection, drawing on the ancient Noongar practice of lighting campfires along the riverbanks. “From a bird’s eye view, you see these symbolic fires all along the river,” explains artist Ilona McGuire, who collaborated with Jacob Nash, Chloe Ogilvie and Ian Wilkes on the project. “It’s a symbol of belonging.”
Karla Bidi’s 15-minute looped track, written and performed in Noongar by McGuire and Wilkes, is particularly resonant. Lyrics like “The sky is bleeding” and “We can no longer see the stories the stars tell us” give way to a message of enduring hope: “Today many stars shine bright, not just in the sky but all of us are made up of stars.” This message carries particular weight in the wake of the recent alleged terror attack at an Invasion Day rally in Perth, lending a poignant layer to the artwork’s themes of loss and resilience.
Artistic director Anna Reece’s second program for the festival continues a trend of centering the Derbarl Yerrigan, recognizing its significance not just as a geographical feature, but as a living record of the city’s history and the stories of its First Nations people. The river serves as a unifying element throughout the festival, hosting installations, performances, and interactive experiences.
Beyond Karla Bidi, the festival offers a diverse range of artistic encounters. Joe Bloom’s A View from the Bridge transforms Perth’s bridges into unexpected spaces for human connection. Red telephones installed along the railings invite passersby to pick up and share their stories with Bloom, who films the conversations for an online audience. Having previously been staged in cities like London, New York, and Zurich, the project feels uniquely suited to Perth, a city defined by the bridges that link its communities.
Bloom’s interviews have already captured powerful narratives. At Kings Park, he spoke with Dr. Richard Walley, a Noongar cultural leader, writer, and performer instrumental in popularizing the Welcome to Country. Walley shared reflections on the stolen generations and the lasting impact of colonization. “They spoke about us, they spoke to us, they spoke for us,” Walley said in a video published on Bloom’s Instagram. “Now we’re speaking for ourselves.” His connection to the river is deeply personal, recalling family history and the enduring spirituality of the land.
The project’s intimacy extends to everyday stories as well. Yvonne Armarego, interviewed on the Boorloo Bridge, shared the story of her son, Theo, who passed away at four and a half months old. The family’s decision to donate his organs saved two lives, a legacy Armarego finds solace in. She described the experience of sharing her story over the phone line as unexpectedly cathartic. “You really just share a lot, I think subconsciously, because it’s just down a phone line.”
Further upstream, on the Avon River in Northam, Bloom interviewed Jarred Casey with his daughter, Elsie. Casey spoke candidly about his journey to sobriety, spurred by the birth of his daughter. “Then this one come along,” he said of Elsie, “and my whole thinking changed.” The interview, captured with Elsie perched on his shoulders, is a testament to the power of family and the possibility of transformation.
These fragmented narratives, woven together by Bloom’s project, create a compelling portrait of Perth and its people. They are stories of grief, memory, resilience, and the enduring human need for connection. The simple act of picking up a phone and sharing a story becomes a powerful act of reclaiming voice and acknowledging the shared experiences that bind a community together.
The Perth Festival continues until , with Karla Bidi illuminating the parklands and picnic areas along the Derbarl Yerrigan each night. Bloom’s interviews from A View from the Bridge will be published throughout the festival on Instagram, offering a continuing glimpse into the lives and stories of those who call Perth home.
