As part of Albany 2026, FORM Building a State of Creativity presents Balgang Albany - three events focused on looking out, listening into, and walking through the landscapes and stories of Albany.

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Albany Is and the Voices of Kinjarling Launches in June 2026

What does a place sound like when it starts telling its own story? In mid-2026, we will unveil Albany Is, an eclectic collection of voices and soundscapes that help shape this extraordinary place.

‍Albany Is is an app-based immersive audio experience that draws on more than 170 recorded interviews to create something available on the phone you carry in your pocket. Part oral history, part interactive podcast, the app invites listeners to walk through Kinjarling/Albany and hear the region narrated by the people who know it best. From Menang Elders and broader Nyoongar community members whose connection to this country stretches back tens of thousands of years, to post-war migrants who built new lives from the groundup, to teenagers figuring out what this place means to them right now. Co-created by FORM Building a State of Creativity, Envelope Audio, Barking Wolf and the local community, Albany Is weaves together the voices and sounds of the region into a living, breathing portrait of Albany.

The interview archive spans voices from the 1890s to today. You will hear from pharmacists, fishermen, poets, skaters, lighthouse keepers' wives, and a 92-year-old who has spent a lifetime reading the harbour's water temperatures, while recent workshops with Albany Senior High School and the Follow the Dream program bring younger voices into the mix, capturing perspectives on growing up in Albany that haven’t been heard before.

The final experience will feature over a hundred unique voices, with each theme serving as an interactive episode that listeners can navigate at their own pace. The audio collection will accompany walks along coastal and city trails, or transport listeners to Albany from anywhere in the world.

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This is Albany Is. A story of land, sea and community you won’t want to miss.

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Presented by FORM and produced by Envelope Audio and Barking Wolf, as part of the Albany 2026 program. Lotterywest is a Major Supporter of the City of Albany 2026 Program.