NAME: INB (Inner Northern Busway) Charity Ball – A Work of Art
TYPE: Charity gala dinner to celebrate the successful completion of the Inner Northern Busway project (Brisbane)
CLIENT: Leighton Contractors
BY: DG global events
NO. ON ORGANISING TEAM: Four (4)
PAX: 990
BUDGET: TOP SECRET
WHAT YOU DID: Inviting 1000 of Brisbane’s finest politicians, businessmen and socialites to dine in a concrete tunnel was never going to be without its challenges. We coined the phrase ‘industrial dining’ so that we had a platform from which to develop and create an event that was at once visually spectacular and totally entertaining. Rather than trying to hide the fact that we were in a tunnel, we wanted to maximise the experience and used layout and lighting to enhance industrial and architectural features of the venue.
The evening opened with brief formalities on the upper concourse. MC Peter Rowsthorn welcomed guests and introduced Premier Anna Bligh who spoke of the various successes of the $333 million project that was completed six months ahead of schedule. Guests were then invited to make their way ‘underground’ for dinner.
An opening performance by electric string trio Maske created the perfect blend of the raw industrial setting with the elegance of a classical, black tie gala. Later in the evening the guests were treated to a breathtaking appearance by American performance artist, Brian Olsen. In his first ever performance on the east coast of Australia, Brian silenced the entire crowd as he wove his magic on the canvases. The auction of his art work that followed raised more than $40,000 and was added to the overall donation from the event to Australian Red Cross and Wesley Mission. The evening was capped off with a headline performance by Shannon Noll.
SPECIAL TOUCHES: In addition to the three iconic portraits that Brian Olsen painted live on stage, DG Global also commissioned a customisation of a signature photo of the project while in development. Due to the complexity of the image, the piece had to be pre-painted and was bought out to Australia to be revealed on the night and auctioned. OVERCOMING CHALLENGES: With much brainstorming and careful planning organisers were able to very effectively overcome the challenges presented by the shape and nature of the venue. They built a custom stage that spanned across the entire width of the tunnel, bridging the central barricade. This enabled organisers to alternate formalities and entertainment either side of the stage for the best viewing for guests. They also created a number of custom-built crosswalks to allow guests to move from one side of the venue to the other without walking 80m to the end of the tunnel and then back again on the other side.
CLIENT’S COMMENTS: “It was an event to surpass all events and has been highly praised by all.” - Adrienne Ward, Leighton Contractors Pty Limited
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