Nighttime Economy

The City of Dallas has joined the ranks of American cities that have embraced the potential for their nighttime and sociable economies.

Dallas’ formalized interest in the nighttime economy began in 2015 with two grassroots political advocacy initiatives which lead to the creation of 24HourDallas, a non-profit organization.

Accelerated by the work of the consultancy, Responsible Hospitality Institute, and cemented by buy-in ...

This podcast episode is the result of a serendipitous encounter on social media.

I’ll explain once I get underway.

But what caught my attention is a surprising blip of discrimination that has begun to appear on the diverse and inclusive radar of nighttime and cultural economies.

Imagine being an artist and someone looking at you as if you’re too old to be an artist anymore.

In this episode of Nighttime Eco...

As you might imagine, there are dozens of consultancies in the world that provide research and counsel in the fields of nighttime, nightlife, and cultural economies.

It used to be that communities would retain these individuals or groups to help assess opportunities, list cultural assets, identify cultural consumer habits, and then recommend strategies on how the community can strengthen their nightlife and nighttime cultu...

Something remarkable is underway in the Republic of Ireland. Its government has prioritized and elevated the value of that country’s nighttime economy in enviable ways.

Government leaders have determined that the country’s cities and towns, of all sizes, not to mention Irish culture itself, will benefit from hiring and placing nighttime economy advocates in many of Ireland’s communities.

Imagine your country’s nat...

 As BT understates on its website, "Data is useful." However, BT's data analytics group goes on to explain that mobile network data provides just the first piece of a puzzle. "We blend data with innovative analytics technology, to give your business measurable insights you can take action on."

The BT Active Intelligence unit takes the location data from more than twenty-four million phones. Ensuri...

In this Nighttime Economy episode, our guest is Michael Paul, Managing Partner, Optima Strategy Partners in Atlanta, Georgia.

What makes Michael's story relevant for other nighttime advocates is how his path took him from hospitality industry entrepreneur … to neighborhood leader … to political operative … to municipal employee hired to strengthen Atlanta's nighttime economy (at a time of economic, public health, and polit...

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

In this Nighttime Economy episode, our guest is Mark Roach, Director of the Auckland UNESCO City of Music.

You will learn about:

• Auckland, New Zealand, one of the world's most culturally diverse cities, 
• its "USP" or unique selling point as a music scene,
• what it means to be a UNESCO City of Music,
• the most important thing any nighttime and cultural advocate can d...

Striking the right note with tourists, residents, and businesses

When those around the world think of American cities with a nightlife scene, they would rattle off cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Detroit, Miami, New Orleans, among others. However, if you ask someone from the States where live music is made, celebrated, and integral to that American city’s nighttime identity, odds are they will have one answer: Nash...

In addition to hospitality and nightlife, nighttime workers have pivotal roles in healthcare, public safety, logistics, retail, and public works.

Yet, until now, there has been inadequate research dedicated to understanding their transportation needs, especially in terms of “transportation justice.”

What does that mean? We will find out in this 24 Minutes podcast episode with Matthew Palm in the Department of City and Regional Planni...

Robbe Van Bogaert is  Nightlife Expert for the city of Antwerp, Belgium.

He also:

• co-owns Eventsure, an event planning business.
• has a job working with young people in nightlife.
• is a club and festival DJ.

However, what 24HourNation wanted most to know about was nightlife, festival and club culture, a genetic bone growth disorder called multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (MED), and Robbe’s Human Power project.

In this episode of 24 M...

A grassroots effort is underway in Denver to build support for the Mile High City’s nighttime economy.

What served as the catalyst for this course of action?

Find out in 24HourNation’s interview with Stephen Brackett, Executive Director of ONE Denver. He tells us about the closing of a legendary jazz bar, El Chapultepec. Or, as the locals call it, The Pec.

You will also hear about:

• The unprecedented opportunity ...

STUDIO ZX was born out of the desire to create safe and lucrative opportunities for marginalized talents and artists belonging to Montréal’s underground, night culture.

As its co-founder and director, Vicky helps identify, empower, and place queer, drag, and burlesque artists into new settings.

Also, as president of MTL 24/24’s Night Council, Vicky and her colleagues are building grassroots and political networks to further elevate M...

You may be employed by a municipality and looking for solutions on how to better manage the needs of nightlife businesses.

Or you may be a nightlife business owner or manager who finds yourself gobsmacked by your city’s bureaucracy.

If so, this episode of 24 Minutes will be of particular interest.

Scott Plusquellec is the Nightlife Business Advocate for the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development...

Katy Birnbaum, the San Francisco founder of Into the Streets, has a unique philosophy when it comes to producing outdoor events. 

In addition to their economic potential, Katy's events also try to change the world. 

We like that.

Joyful events in public spaces can:

• counter artificial intelligence and a society fractured by social media.
• celebrate — not just accept — a city's diverse cultures.
• offset the ...

In this edition of 24 Minutes, we speak with Cristina Gil Venegas, an architect, urban planner, and lighting designer from Bogotá, Columbia.

In addition to her work in the Andean city, she also spearheads Night-time Traveller. This initiative seeks to:

• collect content related to the current panorama of how women experience public space at night.
• develop didactic tools for urban design from a gender perspective.
• open the debate on t...

Imagine you are a nighttime business operator, and you manage an arts and cultural organization, a live or electronic music venue, a bar, a restaurant, or such.

When it comes to city hall, what you really need is someone in local government who understands your business and its value to your city. What you also need is someone inside city hall who understands the local permits and regulatory systems that make it hard for you to shin...

Depending on your information source, Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton have larger populations than Ottawa, Canada’s capital city.

To one degree or another, the cities with larger populations are known for their nightlife, hospitality, sporting events, and festivals.

Yet, Ottawa was the first Canadian city to step up and frame a nightlife strategy. 
Edmonton and Vancouver are currently devel...

In March 2023, the City of Boston hired Corean Reynolds to be its first Director of Nightlife Economy.

As a city that values its intellectual capital, and with respect to its neighborhoods, Boston aspires to serve nighttime economic drivers in education, healthcare, public safety, in addition to all the nightlife industries. 

In this podcast episode we learn:

• why Boston's Office of Nightlife came into bein...

For many around the world, Amsterdam conjures up images of being Europe’s “sin city.” What may not come to mind is a more-nuanced view that this 24-hour city’s nighttime economy is an integral element of Amsterdam’s heritage.

In 2012, Amsterdam was the first city to officially designate an individual (Mirik Milan) as Nachtburgemeester, or “night mayor.” In 2014, nighttime stakeholders formed Stichting N8BM A’DAM, the Night Mayor Fou...