"In our culture, regardless of what you're putting on, if it always has that spirit behind it and you're doing it for the right reasons, there's no such thing as a failure… there's an experience."

If the thrilling riverside, Noongar-inspired production of towering light, fire amid a live soundscape featuring traditional and Indigenous instruments between unlikely collaborators Richard Walley OAM and French sky-high theatre pioneers Group F doesn't move you, check your pulse.

For Dr Walley, one of Australia's leading Aboriginal artists, the highlight of the five-day 2024 EverNow festival beginning Thursday has raised the bar on his string of Perth Festival collaborations over the decades.

The Australian-exclusive production of From The Light Flow: Bena Koorliny with renowned French masters of light and fire highlights a trio of free events during Kambarang, the Noongar season of birth and renewal, and was markedly different for the Noongar statesman.

First the occasion of performing live with daughter Rickeeta and son Alton – who both worked closely with Groupe F artistic director Christophe Berthonneau on the music and storyline – while creating music and sounds to "soundscapes" was also a creative first.

"We spoke about creating, not necessarily narratives or storylines, but experiences… soundscapes," he said.

"So when you listen to the soundtrack, it's not following a composed piece, it's following an experience.

"We went real different with the voice, bits of chants, some spoken, tapping boomerangs, rattling sticks, didgeridoo, raindrops… all sorts of things to create a sound experience rather than a composed piece; I thoroughly enjoyed it."

While these new elements have unearthed a desire for more experimental experiences, the artist in him is – as always – full of anticipation ahead of any production, this one debuting Thursday night by the shores of the Derbarl Yerrigan, one of three feelings that always dominate on event eve.

"There's always three feelings … anticipation, because you're putting a lot of work forward, and it keeps you motivated, you're always thinking what will make this better," he said.

"The second is the actual experience, walking through it, around it, observing people and their reaction and their experience".

Then Dr Walley analyses everything once the production is done - what worked, what could be better, but forming a foundation for the future and new ground.

"If they get it, if they point out things, you know, follow the right line … people who get the message and what we're talking about, they pick it up themselves and go 'ah'," he said.

"That sort of feeling of satisfaction, that we've made a mark, a connection, an impact… that's fantastic."

It's a feeling many established and emerging Noongar artists have felt of late, with connection between the general public and Indigenous culture growing stronger as more artistry is exposed.

"Aboriginal people right across this country have got lots of stories to tell: fascinating stories, challenging stories, the tragic stories, you name it… love stories, creation stories… we've got a whole bank of stories we've never had opportunity to tell in these new realms and forums for many, many years," Dr Walley said.

"It's all been someone else doing it for us, interpreting it for us… whereas now, once the general public, and particularly people in decision-making positions, understand we as Aboriginal people can put a quality product on, that can appeal to the masses and not just our community.

"It makes them feel more comfortable, they go 'oh'… Because a lot of people are afraid of taking risks - in case it fails - whereas you're not afraid of taking risks in case it's different, that's not a problem."

Dr Walley and Mr Berthonneau first discussed working on a major Perth Festival event pre-COVID and, while reconnected on a smaller scale at EverNow, the cultural and artistic endeavours remain high.

"What happens when the leading performance art company across the globe has one of the world's biggest cultural stories as its inspiration?" Dr Walley asked.

"I loved it, and would do it all again," he said of the collaboration with Group F, who first came to Perth in 1986 and now carry a celebrated reputation worldwide for major event work at Olympic Games ceremonies and the FIFA World Cup.

"Christophe is fantastic. What they do, when they come they don't completely understand because they can't, but they trust… once you got trust, then that's the beauty," he said of the initial concept for From The Light Flow: Bena Koorliny', an outdoor light and sound walk-through of sky-high lights, illuminations and flames, to a live performance, celebrating Country and the natural world.

"Once you sit and down, have a conversation, that trust takes shape and they understand: 'ah, now I know where you're coming from'."

Last year's inaugural EverNow event lured 160,000 people and coincides with greater exposure of Indigenous artistry, following Perth Festival's groundbreaking five-year Noongar-themed series of events under former artistic director Iain Grandage, with Clint and Kylie Bracknell instrumental in realising the concept, along with Dr Walley, who moved to Perth in the early 1970s from Pinjarra and with his family runs Aboriginal Productions.

In 1976 he and Ernie Dingo conducted a Welcome to Country ceremony for Māori and Cook Island performers at the Festival, and on Monday – 48 years on – held another for the French contigent.

"We did a smoking by the river… each and every one of them, a group of 50 people… you don't give them a group welcome, we embraced each and every one of them for that process… it's something they don't experience as a crew, because mostly … you're not the individual, you're part of the masses that sit with the crew at the table," Dr Walley explained.

"With these events and these opportunities, we get into that individual importance of being a person yourself… in our culture, each and every person is important, every one of our family is an important part of our tapestry.

"There's no me and maybe the support crew. No, no… we're all family."

EverNow 2024, October 3-7

The Boorna Waanginy: The Trees Speak is a captivating 1.4km wander down Fraser Avenue in Kings Park, where towering lemon-scented gum trees come alive, a canvas of light and land and connection, "speaking" stories of Noongar Boodjar, with animation, sound, word and song. The story unfolds in sections, with the 45-minute AV experience on constant loop.

Song Circle wowed audiences at EverNow last year, an immersive experience of music, dance and light, as singers and instrumentalists perform songs in Noongar, while dancers respond music on a ring of sand surrounding the stage – all reflecting on creatures and Country, from Boorloo to the Great Southern.

Brought to life by lauded director Kylie Bracknell (Hecate, Fist of Fury Noongar Daa and Little J and Big Cuz) and Noongar song-maker Maatakitj, from Noongar production house Boomerang and Spear, this moving performance will leave you wonderfully mesmerised.

EverNow is free and runs October 3-7 at Kings Park and Botanic Garden, and Burswood Park.

More information is available online.