LDC Top 50 2026
Patrick O’Mahony
Founder and Chief Creative Officer
NEWSUBSTANCE Group
Coachella’s iconic seven-storey rainbow pavilion, Spectra, began life as a sketch in Patrick O’Mahony’s notebook. “It was meant to be a one-off installation but has become part of the festival’s identity. It’s incredibly special when a project takes on a life of its own,” he says. As the founder of creative studio NEWSUBSTANCE, and sister company SKYMAGIC, which creates drone light shows, Patrick has spent two decades imagining, designing and building world-class immersive experiences.
Today, the Leeds-based group generates 80 per cent of itsrevenue from overseas. “It’s the adrenaline of creating crazy, near-impossible projects from scratch that drives me.”
I’m really proud to be part of the North’s growing creative scene. International clients often assume we’re based in London, but Leeds is part of our identity.”
Q&A
How did NEWSUBSTANCE begin?
I met my original business partner on the first day of university and together we started running club nights: he’d DJ, I’d design the sets. They grew from a few hundred people to around 2,000 every week and, without realising it, became the foundation of the business. We started booking bands and designing events before launching NEWSUBSTANCE in 2004. There was no grand business plan. It was simply, “Can we do this? Can we avoid getting a proper job?”
What’s next for the business?
We’ve just launched NEWSUBSTANCE Immersive with a major US intellectual property partner, creating permanent entertainment experiences that stay open year-round. After 20 years of producing one-off shows and ceremonies, it feels like the natural next chapter. The financial model is different this time around, so we share in the long-term success through the box office, creating recurring revenue for the business.
Why is being based in Leeds so important to you?
I’m really proud to be part of the North’s growing creative scene. International clients often assume we’re based in London, but Leeds is part of our identity. If NEWSUBSTANCE had existed when I was starting out, I’d have wanted to work here.
How do you switch off?
Music is still a huge part of my life. I go to Glastonbury every year, although I’m usually analysing the production rather than relaxing! I’m a reluctant runner but it clears the noise. The more stressful life becomes, the more I run.
