Amsterdam is embarking on an exciting new chapter in its cultural history with the launch of the Night Culture Implementation Agenda (currently only available in Dutch). Building on the Night Vision’s recommendations and heartfelt desires, this comprehensive agenda aims to breathe life into the city’s nighttime scene by translating ideas into concrete actions.
This initiative is allocating significant resources, with a commitment of 1 million euros dedicated explicitly to Amsterdam’s night culture. This funding will support a wide range of programs related to night culture, developing night culture breeding grounds, and establishing new night culture locations in the vibrant neighbourhoods of Zuidoost and Nieuw-West. This is a unique moment in time for Amsterdam to build on the 24 hour licensing schemes that are already in place and to put emphasis on the value of events such as ADE and the city in general.
We at VibeLab, a platform dedicated to celebrating and supporting nighttime culture, applaud this initiative as a significant step towards enhancing Amsterdam’s cultural landscape, especially as Mirik Milan, our co-founder was the night mayor of Amsterdam between 2012- 2018.
In addition to these initiatives, the Night Culture Implementation Agenda includes a pioneering pilot program for a sound insulation fund. This program aims to address potential noise-related challenges, striking a balance between vibrant nightlife and ensuring the comfort and well-being of residents in nighttime areas.
Recognising the importance of nurturing young talent within the night culture scene, Amsterdam,in collaboration with the national government have set aside 1.2 million euros for talent development focused on young people. This investment is expected to foster new artistic endeavours and innovative initiatives, ensuring a dynamic and vibrant future for the city’s cultural nighttime offerings.
A vital aspect of the city’s approach to the Night Culture Implementation Agenda is the emphasis on collaboration and consultation with relevant departments and districts. Involving the sector as much as possible in the implementation process is a top priority.
“As a municipality, we are committed to fulfilling our role in a way that values the interests of both day and night. Working with social partners, area developers, and the cultural sector, we aim to give night culture the recognition it deserves as a vital part of Amsterdam’s cultural life.”
says Touria Meliani, Amsterdam’s Councilor for Arts and Culture.
Amsterdam’s Night Culture Implementation Agenda sets a promising precedent for other cities to follow, underscoring the vital role of a thriving night culture in shaping a city’s identity and enriching its cultural fabric.
We at VibeLab and our advocacy platform ”Nighttime” encourage everyone interested in understanding the significance and value of a lively night culture to read the Creative Footprint Studies. The shared experiences and passion for the city, the night, and the safety, diversity of its inhabitants resonate deeply with our community and all of the work we do. Interested in conducing a Creative Footprint study in your city? Get in touch with Lutz@vibe-lab.org
Great news for DIY organisers and small clubs in Germany! Initiative Musik, Germany’s prominent music funding organisation, has introduced the “Live 500” program, a new initiative aimed at providing financial support to small and medium-sized music venues and regional promoters.
This program seeks to encourage a diverse music program by offering incentives for including emerging artists and less popular or experimental genres. With the “Live 500” funding, Initiative Musik aims to address the challenges that live music clubs, and organisers face in the post-pandemic era, where rising costs and inflation have made planning and executing affordable music events increasingly challenging.
The “Live 500” program specifically targets live music events catering to a maximum of 250 paying club visitors.
The maximum admission price is 20 or 25 euros, depending on the category. Through this funding initiative, concerts can receive a subsidy of either 500 euros or 1,000 euros per event.
Fifty per cent of the subsidy is allocated to the performing musicians as a fee subsidy.
The remaining fifty per cent is intended to cover the production costs of the music clubs or regional organisers.
Applicants can request up to 12,000 euros for a maximum of 12 or 24 concerts, all of which must be scheduled before June 30, 2024.
One significant aspect of Live 500 is its emphasis on diverse program planning for supported live music events.
By doing so, the program aims to foster greater cultural participation for underrepresented artists in the live music scene.
Additionally, a regional quota has been implemented to ensure fair distribution of funds across all federal states, allowing for a more equitable allocation of resources.
Developed in collaboration with the professional support of LiveMusikCommission eV and coordinated with the Federal Jazz Conference, Live 500 is a support program backed by Initiative Musik. The Music Initiative has made Live 500 possible through project funds provided by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.
Interested parties can visit the Initiative Musik website to learn more about the application process and award procedures. Applications for the Live 500 are expected to be open until 7/31/2023 (11:59 p.m.) They recommend registering in the funding portal in advance, before 27th July. The application phase for Live 500 will be open until July 31, 2023, and must be submitted in German.
Initiative Musik’s Live 500 funding program is set to inject much-needed support and diversity into the live music industry, offering a lifeline to small and medium-sized venues and promoters as they navigate the challenges posed by the post-pandemic landscape. As the music scene aims to recover and rebuild, Live 500 serves as a beacon of hope, encouraging the continuation of vibrant, low-threshold music offerings and the promotion of emerging talent across Germany’s cultural landscape.
Nashville’s independent music venues—widely understood as a core part of the city’s identity—are threatened. Nashville Metro Council requested an inventory of venues to understand better what’s happening and what can be done. This year, Metro Planning Department staff, with project partners PennPraxis, VibeLab, and Culture Shift Team, have inventoried venues and spoken with community members to understand better the challenges independent venues face.
This project’s core purpose is to understand better the ecosystem of independent music venues (IMVs). In the process, the project will detail the threats Independent music venues face, seek to understand the needs and aspirations of the region’s creative community, and propose policy approaches for preserving and growing Independent Music venues and the businesses, neighbourhoods, and districts around them.
If you missed the Open House event in May, there are still opportunities to get involved! Please fill out this brief form to receive periodic project updates or share your interest in getting involved. We also welcome you to share the form with family and friends.
We will conduct some supplemental interviews and research throughout the summer of 2023.
As we continue to work through this study, we anticipate publishing our findings in Spring 2024.
“One of the most significant issues is that nightlife advocates often understand things to be true in their practice and experience, but don’t have data to advocate for what they see. Policymakers often want to see evidence-based data, pilots, and so on. Creative Footprint provides the beginning of a baseline. We use scores here, but it’s not necessarily about comparing cities to say that this one is better or worse than that one. It’s more about, OK in 2023, this is the score. Montreal did very strongly on aspects of Community Content and Space. It didn’t do nearly as strongly on what we call Framework Conditions: policies, transit, access to information, governance, and so on. As Montreal puts this nightlife strategy into place for the next years, that section is where the “score” can be increased.”
Our team has been in Montreal to launch the latest Creative Footprint Report and for the MTL Night Summit that took place on May 17th and 18th at the PHI Center, bringing together creative minds who wish to learn more about nightlife cultures and the international initiatives that support their development. From tonight to the 21st, NON-STOP 24/24 takes place at Pavillon du Grand Quai of the Port of Montreal.
Creative Footprint (CFP) is a data-driven research project by us, the nighttime consultancy agency VibeLab, that studies creative spaces and communities to examine the cultural value and impact of music and nightlife in the city.
In order to conduct the Creative Footprint Montreal study, the project was powered by the civic organisation MTL 24/24 and we at VibeLab partner with PennPraxis.
The report offers a comprehensive overview of the city’s nightlife, based on focus groups, interviews, and more than 14,600 unique data points.
Montreal’s creative scene has received international recognition, and the Creative Footprint ranking puts it on par with other cities like Stockholm and Tokyo, with an overall score of 6.57. The score is based on three criteria: space, community and content, and framework conditions, with Montreal scoring high in the first two categories.
The report highlights Montreal’s multifunctional venues, which allow for experimentation and diversity of programming, and the concentration of 271 venues in a few central boroughs with high population density, transit density, and percentage of young adults.
The report’s recommendations for action fall into three categories:
Protect and preserve existing venues
Build trust between nightlife, public safety, and municipal decision-makers
Grow by expanding time and space for nightlife
The report suggests that Montreal can establish itself as a global leader in sustainable, inclusive nightlife ecosystems by incorporating urban planning and zoning mechanisms that promote the production of music events and new nightlife spaces.
Overall, the report provides valuable insights into Montreal’s music and nightlife scene, highlighting the city’s strengths and areas for improvement. By considering the report’s recommendations, Montreal can continue to build upon its strengths while addressing its challenges and ensuring that it remains a vibrant and inclusive city for residents and visitors alike.
Montreal is known for its vibrant nightlife, with a bustling scene that attracts locals and tourists alike. The Montreal Night Summit taking place from May 17 to 21, 2023, is an annual event that brings together professionals, policymakers, and nightlife enthusiasts to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the city’s nightlife scene. This year’s summit theme is NOX ✦ SPATIUM, which explores the possibilities of nightlife beyond just time but also space.
The summit will kick off with a keynote discussion on the Creative Footprint Montreal report from us at VibeLab. The report assesses the city’s cultural and creative ecosystem’s impact and provides a roadmap for a sustainable cultural and creative economy.
We at VibeLab, will present key research findings and urban policy recommendations from Creative Footprint Montréal — the first comprehensive study of Montréal’s music and nightlife spaces and communities since COVID-19. Conducted in collaboration with PennPraxis, Montréal is the fifth city in the Creative Footprint research project — joining Berlin, New York, Tokyo and Stockholm.
The summit is an opportunity for Montreal to showcase its vibrant and diverse nightlife and its potential to drive economic growth. It is also a chance for policymakers and industry leaders to come together to discuss ways to support the nightlife scene while ensuring public safety and promoting a more harmonious way of living together as citizens.
The Montreal Night Summit is a forum of ideas for nightlife users and professionals as well as for public decision-makers. The event features roundtable discussions with international guests, who share best practices from around the world. These discussions are followed by local perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing Montreal’s nightlife scene.
The summit is not just a talkfest; it also includes an event promoting Montreal’s nightlife, NON STOP, showcasing local artistic and cultural talent. The event is a celebration of Montreal’s vibrant nightlife and serves as a testing ground for new pilot projects.
The Montreal Night Summit is an essential event for anyone interested in the future of Montreal’s nightlife. It is a space for learning, outreach, and collaboration, bringing together diverse voices to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the city. Whether you’re a nightlife enthusiast, policymaker, or industry professional, the Montreal Night Summit is not to be missed.
Metropolitan Nashville Planning Department and the Nashville Independent Venues Study team are inviting locals to participate in their upcoming Open House on May 23, 2023. The Nashville Independent Venues Study aims to better understand the independent music venues ecosystem in Nashville and to aid local government and the community in supporting, preserving, and promoting these important spaces.
The Open House will be an opportunity for participants to discuss the challenges that independent venues in Nashville are facing, as well as to share their experiences and ideas for the future of these spaces and their communities. The event will feature interactive activities, discussions related to venue operations, real estate, funding, and themes related to Nashville’s music culture and ecosystem.
The Open House is a free, drop-in event from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., and attendees are encouraged to sign up for a specific session to help organizers manage attendance. Light refreshments will be provided.
To access event parking locations, participants can visit this link. The organizers encourage invitees to share the invitation with friends, colleagues, or anyone who may be interested.
The Global Nighttime Advocacy Group administered by VibeLab is a collaborative knowledge-sharing platform for you (nighttime advocates worldwide) to share ideas, struggles, successes, and research.
VibeLab is dedicated to protecting nighttime culture through everything from research papers, parties, conferences, and cultural infrastructure mapping. We want to ensure creativity and nighttime culture are always protected, championed, valued, and nurtured worldwide.
It’s been almost three years since we founded this group mid-pandemic in the spirit of open-source knowledge sharing to build resilience in our niche yet growing community. We want to refresh each other on this group’s purpose, successes and of your achievements. Community Guidelines:
Be polite and communicate with respect.
Please respect the privacy of other members.
Please refrain from advertising products or services
Please do share opportunities, resources, questions, discussions, or information on events, experiences, workshops, and projects relevant to nighttime advocacy.
If you would like to apply to join the Global Nighttime Advocacy Group please complete this google form.
The Nashville Independent Venues Study (NIVS) has begun its official listening sessions with independent music venue owners and Nashville’s “Night Mayor” in February 2023. The project is led by PennPraxis in collaboration with VibeLab and Culture Shift Team and is under Metro Nashville’s Planning Department. The aim of the study is to conduct quantitative and qualitative research about Nashville’s independent music venues, land use policies, economic geography, music history, and culture to develop potential policies and ideas for action to be presented in early 2024.
The kick-off meetings with key influencers in the Nashville music and nightlife scenes gave the project team a deeper understanding of independent music venues’ role in Nashville’s ecosystem. Through conducting independent venue site visits, the project team gained greater insight into the unique challenges these venues face amidst growing pressures from the city’s rapid growth and expansion, neighbourhood change, rising costs, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Nashville music industry has been raising concerns over the closures of long-established independent venues, with community music staples like Exit/In and Mercy Lounge recently shutting down. Independent venue closures not only change the landscape of Nashville but also deprive independent artists of opportunities to perform and grow in their careers, disproportionately impacting small business owners, marginalized communities, and communities of color. Local residents continue to voice the importance of protecting the art, history, and culture that keeps Nashville known as the world’s “Music City”, placing concern and attention on independent venues. Understanding the challenges that risk closures for independent venues will help the Nashville Independent Venues Study identify specific steps that can be taken to protect independent venues in the long term as part of Nashville’s cultural infrastructure.
In May and June of 2023, the Nashville Independent Venues Study will conduct small-group discussions, focus groups, and interviews with members of Nashville’s music and cultural industries, event programmers, real estate developers, musicians, journalists, and other stakeholders. The project arose from a resolution (RS2021-927) adopted by the Nashville Metro Council in May 2021, which was then developed into a request for proposals issued by Nashville Metro (RFQ 269260: Study – Sustaining Nashville’s Independent Music Venues).
PennPraxis is the applied research, professional practice, and community engagement arm of the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design. VibeLab is a purpose-driven consultancy supporting cities worldwide in the nighttime, nightlife, and cultural industries. Culture Shift Team, based in Nashville, is a multicultural marketing advertising and DEIAB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging) implementation, education, and consulting agency.
For more information about the Nashville Independent Venues Study and to join the mailing list to stay informed, visit here.
The City of Toronto has announced its intention to explore new strategies for supporting Toronto’s night economy. This economy, which encompasses social, cultural, and business activities at night, is vital to the city’s vibrancy and diversity. This initiative aims to create a safer, more inclusive, and more vibrant nightlife in Toronto.
The city seeks input from its residents through public consultation sessions to achieve this goal. VibeLab, an independent consulting company specialising in the night economy, will conduct these sessions. They will help inform the city staff’s recommendations on the night economy, which are expected to be discussed at City committee meetings in the fall of 2023.
The public consultation sessions are scheduled for April 13th and April 17th. The first session will be conducted virtually, while the latter will be held in person at City Hall. To register for one of these sessions, visit the Eventbrite pages linked below. However, please note that space is limited so attendance will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Please register for one of the following sessions if you want to attend.
Residents unable to attend the public consultation sessions can still share their ideas by completing the Night Economy Review Survey. The survey is an excellent opportunity to share your perspectives on the night economy and help shape the city’s future.
If you have any questions about the consultation sessions or wish to submit feedback via email, please contact nighteconomy@toronto.ca. The City of Toronto looks forward to hearing from its residents and working together to create a vibrant, safe, and inclusive night economy.
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