INCA Productions and Sunshine Reimagine Fundraising Through the Second Annual THE NAT Gala

On 20 September 2026, INCA Productions and Sunshine joined forces with THE NAT to deliver the second annual NAT Gala in New York, an immersive cultural experience exploring the power of creativity to drive nature conservation. Held ahead of Climate Week NYC, the event brought together 300 global leaders from finance, culture and conservation around the theme Ways of Water.

Founded by Gail Gallie, THE NAT aims to help close the $710bn global nature finance gap by bringing together creativity, capital and conservation. The 2026 Gala reimagined the traditional fundraiser as an immersive cultural experience, combining site-specific art, spoken word, live performance and audio-visual installations to create a deeper emotional connection with the natural world.

With circular design, environmental responsibility and the restorative power of nature informing the experience, the evening explored how culture can inspire collective action and bring nature conservation into new cultural conversations. Gail Gallie, Founder of THE NAT, said: “Our mission over the next decade is to help close the global $710 billion nature finance gap. To do that, we didn’t just want to deliver another glamorous fundraiser; we had to build the most influential room. By putting nature at the intersection of music, fashion, and art, we are transforming environmental action from a guilt-driven obligation into a culturally contagious movement that the world’s most powerful people actually want to participate in.”

Reimagining the Fundraising Experience
The 2026 Gala was delivered through a collaborative agency model, bringing together Sunshine’s expertise in brand strategy and cultural positioning with INCA Productions’ creative and experiential capabilities. Co-led by Charlotte Clark, Creative Director at INCA Productions, and Al MacCuish, Founder and Chairman of Sunshine, the collaboration set out to challenge the conventions of traditional fundraising. Nathan Prince of Studio Prince also contributed as the creative collaborator behind the event’s film and spoken-word content Sunshine developed the narrative framework, positioning nature as a powerful cultural currency and reframing environmental action through stories of connection, possibility and optimism. INCA translated this vision into a physical experience, transforming a stark concrete setting into an immersive environment centred around an open-air fountain.

Inspired by the qualities of water, the space was designed to feel fluid, ever-changing and unpredictable. A minimalist approach to production created a considered journey between energy and stillness, intimacy and spectacle, reflection and release, allowing the experience itself to reinforce the Gala’s central themes. Through spoken word, scientific storytelling and audiovisual installations, the event explored the Science of Optimism, highlighting nature’s capacity to regenerate and restore biodiversity when given the space, time and investment required to thrive.

Charlotte Clark, Creative Director at INCA Productions, said: “We went right back to the first principles of what a fundraiser should be. To raise funds effectively in this climate, you have to touch people deeply. We ripped up the format of what an event ‘should’ be. This project was fundamentally about the format, the flow, and connecting people in the most profound way to THE NAT’s mission.”

Al MacCuish, Founder and Chairman of Sunshine, said: “THE NAT is about getting nature noticed. Drawing attention to unfamiliar, topical, relatable narratives hiding in plain sight. This year’s theme focuses on the extraordinary, fundamental relationship we have with water: oceans, rivers and seas. Out of the chaos that characterises modern life, there is actually a great deal to be hopeful for, to learn about and act on. The Gala in NYC is our second global moment bringing together collective energy for nature. Partnering with INCA to completely rewrite the event experience, we’re proving it’s possible to present nature in surprising, culturally rich and deeply immersive ways.”

The Experience: Ways of Water
Bringing together scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, innovators and storytellers, the Gala united creativity and capital through a sequence of site-specific installations and performances, each contributing to a wider narrative of water, interconnectedness and natural resilience.

Artful Arrivals
INCA designed a gallery-style arrival experience anchored by a commissioned painting of the Dordogne River by artist Andrew Gifford. The artwork was subsequently auctioned in support of THE NAT’s mission.

A Moving Choir
Sophie Hunter’s seminal Venice Biennale work, Salt of the Earth, was adapted specifically for the space, bringing a distinctive artistic perspective to the evening’s exploration of nature and humanity.

The Power of Unity
Artists Two Bears and Jon Boogz led What Came Before, a performance that began with a single-voiced Indigenous prayer before building into an energetic ensemble featuring an MC, four Fancy Dancers, three Movement Artists, a DJ and immersive audiovisual elements.

Spoken Word: I Am Water
Written by long-term INCA collaborator Nathan Prince of Studio Prince and narrated by marine biologist and oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, I Am Water formed a poetic centrepiece of the evening. Presented across the event’s projection surfaces, the piece blurred the line between a eulogy for the ocean and a celebration of nature’s resilience.

The Coral Rave
The evening culminated in an immersive after-party presented in collaboration with Coral Gardeners, a non-profit organisation dedicated to ocean conservation, with funding from Spotify. Extending the Gala’s central themes into a celebratory setting, the experience connected culture, community and ocean advocacy.

A Considered Approach to Impact
The Gala’s commitment to nature extended beyond its creative programme into the production approach. Circular design principles informed the selection of event elements, reflecting a considered approach to material use and environmental responsibility. By integrating sustainability into the planning and delivery of the experience, INCA and Sunshine sought to align the event’s production with THE NAT’s wider mission. The approach placed environmental considerations alongside creative ambition, reinforcing the idea that impactful experiences should consider not only what audiences see and feel, but also how they are delivered. The Gala was designed to help mobilise support for nature conservation, with THE NAT’s wider mission focused on directing creativity and capital towards addressing the global nature finance gap. By bringing together influential voices from culture, finance and conservation, the second annual THE NAT Gala demonstrated how immersive experiences can create meaningful connections between people, purpose and the natural world. Through their collaboration, INCA Productions and Sunshine challenged the conventions of traditional fundraising, combining creative storytelling, cultural relevance and considered production to create an experience designed to mobilise collective energy for nature.