This is what we found out.

Malmö is Sweden’s third largest city boasting the reputation as a cultural hub with notable demographic diversity and a history of grassroots nightlife. However, issues of social and employment exclusion persist in the city. The report, which features a feasibility study and visionary outlook for the future of Malmö, was conducted by VibeLab in collaboration with Transversal Project on behalf of the City of Malmö Department of Business and External Relations.

“I hope that this study serves as an inspiring first step in sparking conversations on how nightlife can promote Malmö’s continued growth while creating a safer and more sustainable city,” – Harald Stjerna, project manager for the City of Malmö

The report was produced using a combination of qualitative research methods including an in-person needs analysis focus group which generated community-driven insights into Malmö’s non-commercial nightlife.

The following three themes were identified during the needs analysis due to their importance and the present challenges that exist for the community:

• Space for nightlife is essential but it is limited. Without safe, accessible, and affordable venues, nightlife actors cannot thrive. 

• Funding is viewed as an integral support for the nightlife industry but awareness of such opportunities is limited and seen as inaccessible, especially to younger members of the community.

• Capacity building through skills sharing and meaningful engagement between the city and its nightlife community are both needed to enhance trust and understanding.

The report concludes with key findings related to the future aspirations of nightlife in Malmö and spotlights good practices from other cities around the globe. Discover more insights into Malmö’s nightlife through the full report.

Stay tuned!

The network of cities contributing their experiences and knowledge to nighttime governance is growing, regardless of their size or global positioning.

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Exploring accessibility & awareness, the impact of radio on communities, sensory immersion in the club space, and navigating cities safely.

Get tickets

Vibelab proudly announces an international talk program that will take place at the Nighttime Industries Association’s event on Thursday, 8th February 2024.  Programmed by Jessie Dymond, the International Stage at the Nighttime Economy Summit takes place in Manchester at Freight Island. The program promises to highlight the most pioneering worldwide practices, trends, and breakthroughs in music-focused and nightlife culture.

International Night-Time Economy Stage Schedule:

SESSION 1: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Title: Solidarity and Accessibility: The Evolution of “Club Culture“

This session explores the resurgence of the dancefloor as a space embracing inclusivity and queerness, focusing on accessibility for neurodiverse individuals and people with disabilities- honouring the beginnings of electronic music spaces, which provided a haven for society’s most vulnerable.

Moderated by Katouche Goll, Content Creator and PR

• Luis Manuel Garcia-Mispireta is an ethnomusicologist and Popular Music professor at the University of Birmingham, also part of Room For Resistance, Berlin. Birmingham, UK
  
• Robbe Van Bogaert, Creative Director + Nightlife Expert, Human Power, Antwerp Belgium
  
• Cristiana Vale Pires, Researcher & Manager, Kosmicare, Lisbon, Portugal
  
• Yewande Adeniran is an artist, DJ, academic, writer and founder of INTERVENTION

SESSION 2: 12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
Title: Radio Waves: Revolutionizing Solidarity and Connection

Moderator: Christa Belle Walley,  DJ, Promoter, Radio Host, Ableton.

This panel discussion explores the transformative role of radio stations in reshaping collaborative efforts within the club industry. Key speakers include:

• Richard Akingbehin, Co-Founder of Refuge Worldwide, Berlin, Germany
  
• Olha Udovenko/Udda, DJ, former member of Gasoline Radio, Kyiv, Ukraine
  
• Moe Choucair, Audio Visual Artists, Programmer – Radio Alhara, Music Venue Director – Ballroom Blitz, Beirut, Lebanon
  
• Zakari Mokrani (LIVING GATLATO) is an NTS radio resident, cultural theorist, DJ, and Marseille, France.

SESSION 3: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Title: Sensory Immersion: Redefining “Club Culture” Experiences

Moderator: Anjali Prashar-Savoie, Cultural Producer, DJ, Journalist, London, UK

This session delves into strategies for redefining music and entertainment experiences, focusing on sensory immersion, inclusivity, relaxation, wellness, and personalisation in the club space.

Speakers include:

• Aoife Mc Guinness, Neuroscientist, Multi-Sensory Researcher, Founder of OverFlow, Berlin, Germany
  
• Georges de Saint-Mars, Curator and Producer at 36 degrés, Paris, France
  
• Opashona Ghosh is an artist, lecturer, and promoter in London, UK.
  
• Natalia Szczepanczyk is the segment manager for experiential applications at Holoplot, Berlin, Germany.

SESSION 4: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Title: Nighttime Safety and Urban Solidarity: Navigating Urban Spaces

Moderator: Anna Sclimm, Artist and Promotor at Holobiont, Senior lecturer, MA Design for Social Innovation and Sustainable Futures, LCC, and Love Underground, London, UK

This panel explores how women, LGBTQI, and POC encounter and interact with urban spaces, drawing attention to the distinctive challenges, particularly regarding security, during daytime and nighttime. A Night Walk will follow from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. 

• Andreina Sejas, Urban Governance and Innovation | Associate at Gehl, Paris, France
  
• Kenneth Bailey co-founded Design Studio for Social Intervention, Boston, USA.
  
• Lee-Ann Igbon, Labour Party Councillor, Executive Member for Vibrant Neighborhoods
  
• Georgia Green, Research and Insight Coordinator, Manchester Student Union

• Sacha Lord, Nighttime Economy Advisor for Manchester, Manchester, UK

Join us for these insightful discussions, which promise to shape the future of electronic music culture. Get tickets on the NTIA website quickly.

About NTIA

The Night-Time Industry Association aims to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the benefits of the UK’s nightlife industry and the significant positive impacts of this vibrant sector on society. They take pride in championing the incredibly talented and successful entrepreneurs who have made Britain one of the most thrilling and sought-after destinations for tourists globally. 

About Vibelab

VibeLab is a research, consultancy, and advocacy agency dedicated to supporting creatives and preserving nighttime culture. Vibelab is a platform that fosters cultural exchange and exploration within the global electronic music community. Vibelab aims to celebrate diversity, inclusivity, and innovation in the electronic music culture through engaging events and discussions.

See the complete program here

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Exciting news from Malmö as VibeLab and Transversal Project collaborate on new nightlife research.

We plan to research and set the direction for the nightlife in Malmo. Before starting the research, we would like to showcase what we have achieved in the past year and launch our new collaborative project, NIGHT SCHOOL. Come and join us in Malmö for a day full of interesting insights on the night!

Panel discussion: “Sustainability and Nightlife: Perspectives from Malmö and beyond”

Date: Friday 19 January 

Time: 17:00 – 17:45 CET

Venue: Grand Malmö, Monbijougatan 17, 211 53

Malmö, Sweden

With the first discussion, we want to start a conversation about creating a safer, more sustainable and resilient nightlife in Malmö as the nocturnal life is an integral part of the city’s creative ecosystems and is critical in preparing cities for the future. How does nightlife contribute to environmental, economic and social sustainability? This is a topic for our guests, Zeynep Erdal from Helsingborg Innovation District, formerly Studentstad Malmö, Magnus Thure Nilsson, CEO of Media Evolution, Media Evolution City, & The Conference and Nazli Moloudi aka DJ NAZ, DJ and lecturer.

Panel discussion with NIGHT SCHOOL: The Future of Nightlife for Sustainable Cities

Date: Friday 19 January 

Time: 17:45 – 18:15 CET

Venue: Grand Malmö, Monbijougatan 17, 211 53

Malmö, Sweden

Following the research focus group containing local promoters, artists and stakeholders sharing their feelings about the city’s culture as a part of a new report commissioned by Malmö City, we wanted to keep the vibe going and follow up with an open panel discussion for everyone interested about nocturnal visions of the local scene. Since we collaborated with the Transversal Project last year, we’re excited to offer you a sneak peek at our new joint project, NIGHT SCHOOL.

NIGHTSCHOOL is a transnational training programme for night culture producers about environmental, social and economic sustainability. Night culture is a hotbed for the many sections of the creative and cultural industry.

You will learn more from our speakers! Mirik Milan, founder of VibeLab and former night mayor of Amsterdam, will join Steven van Belle, host of Fuse, Brussels’ historic techno club and will share their expertise and provide a European perspective on the significance and impact of nocturnal culture.

Come and join the conversation! 

This event is not just an assembly—it’s an invitation to shape the future of Malmö’s nightlife. Your presence matters as we collectively craft an inclusive and vibrant nocturnal landscape. Whether you’re a nightlife enthusiast, a city planner, an artist, or passionate about shaping Malmö’s cultural identity, your voice matters in this conversation.

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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

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“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.”

Diana Raisailles, interviewed by Elsa Fortant

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.

Read the full interview with Diana Raisailles here

Read Montreal’s Creative Footprint here

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Lance Jay Brown and Leni Schwendinger‘s latest article for New Cities looks at how countries and cities across climate regions choose to adopt lifestyle patterns to avoid the daytime heat.

“We should be getting ready to live more by night. The night is a natural antidote to daytime heat; it already exists and is free. The actuality of nighttime activities, now and in the future, is changing. Why? Because, as the world heats up, we will doubtlessly move in that direction, living more at night.”

 Lance Jay Brown and Leni Schwendinger 

Read more

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Creative Footprint is a research project that investigates creative spaces and communities to examine and emphasise the cultural value and impact that music and nightlife have on the city. (CFP) is registering participants to take part in upcoming focus groups aimed at promoters, collectives and folks that run music and nightlife spaces in Montréal.

The focus groups are open to the Montréal nightlife communities to register and will take place both online and in-person

Register your interest in Creative Footprint Montréal

This study is the first of its kind in Montreal and in Canada, following suit of cities including Berlin, New York, Tokyo and Stockholm, and it will be a vital tool for the implementation of the city’s nightlife strategy. At its core, the objective of Creative Footprint is to support the development of 24-hour cities that are world-renowned for their vibrancy, diversity, safety and access to amenities throughout the day and night. 

What is Creative Footprint?

Creative Footprint (CFP) is a project created and conducted by nighttime consultancy agency VibeLab. Creative Footprint’s methodology was developed by Lutz Leichsenring, in partnership with Harvard University and PennPraxis. PennPraxis is the centre for applied research, professional practice, and community engagement at the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design

The methodology goes beyond economic impact, by prioritising original content, interdisciplinary connections and multi-purpose spaces that foster talent,  strengthen communities and make our cities unique. The resulting report includes detailed data, observations from community leaders, a final score, and recommendations for the city. 

Read other CFP reports

Why Montréal?

Montréal’s nightlife scene’s sustained commitment, enthusiasm and resilience are being recognised by the city of Montréal for the benefit that nightlife communities bring to the local culture and economies, thanks to  MTL 24/24 a non-profit organisation that provides a framework for Montréal’s nightlife. 

 In May this year (2022), the mayor of  Montréal, Mayor Valérie Plante, announced a roadmap to regenerate Montréal’s nightlife, that acknowledges the importance and relevance of music culture. 

“There are people who want to sleep and there are those who want to party. Parties are part of Montréal’s DNA… [and] nightlife is an important economic driver for the metropolis.” —Montréal’s Mayor Valérie 

Part of the plan features a pilot project that would extend the opening hours of some venues to test the effectiveness of operating continuously in designated zones. Followed by Montréal’s first and longest dance party at the Société des Arts Technologiques. NONSTOP 24/24 was the first of a series of all-night nightlife events approved by the city to gather data about allowing venues to operate past 3 a.m, initiated by  MTL 24/24 

“The city’s action plan provides a clear timetable that should lead to the adoption of a nightlife policy next summer, redefining the operational framework for nightlife activities,” —General Manager of MTL 24/24, Mathieu Grondin

Why gather data on nightlife?  

Creative Footprint solidifies channels of communication between grassroots creatives and policymakers. Gathering data on life at night and creative communities will provide tangible information to empower nightlife communities.  

“We are now seeing the benefits of our mission to measure the unmeasured things – things we know are important to our creative communities. Communities that have never had their real nature in data form before and we can use this deep knowledge as a basis for action.”  —Michael Fichman, CFP Senior Data Scientist, PennPraxis.

There are currently three more cities in the pipeline for the CFP. The CFP initiative has earned recognition as a valuable tool for developing and improving nightlife policies. Creative ecosystems are ever-changing and developing, following Covid-19’s impact on creative communities, cities need to keep an open dialogue with their creatives, and CFP helps to shed light on organisations that need support. 

Next steps

★ Register your interest in Creative Footprint Montréal

★ Read other CFP reports here

★ Share the sign-up form and banner with your creative networks in Montréal

★ The CFP founders and data scientists are available to be interviewed:

• Lutz Leichsenring, Co-founder of VibeLab 
• Michael Fichman, Senior Data Scientist, PennPraxis at the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design
• Mathieu Grondin, General Manager of MTL 24/24
  

★ For more information regarding the Creative Footprint Report and the opportunity to have the mapping research project conducted in your city, contact lutz@vibe-lab.org

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Addressing nighttime safety through a gender-equitable lens. 

Are we still scared of the dark in 2022? 

Safety at night is a subjective issue that means something different to everyone. Whether it be getting home from the club, travelling to work, expressing your identity in a bar, being racially profiled, getting to a club, or taking a walk in your neighbourhood, feeling safe at night in the city is very different for everyone in every situation. 

What is the World Urban Forum? 

The World Urban Forum is a  conference established by UN-Habitat, to examine pressing issues facing the world today, such as rapid urbanisation and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policies.

The topic of nighttime has been neglected at conferences that explore policy and urban planning. Yet it is now antiquated for governments and policymakers to not address life after dark. Since the pandemic, the world has woken up to the importance of nightlife and its capacity for providing safe(r) spaces to meet, share ideas, and build communities, identities, careers and livelihoods. In some way, the pandemic made people aware of the innate human need to socialise. Yet creating safer nights worldwide requires more attention, funding and support. 

The Night Walk, Katowice, Poland 

In collaboration with UN-Habitat, Safetipin, the European Forum For Urban Security and its Women In Cities Initiative, the City of Katowice, and a host of others, VibeLab orchestrated a night walk of Katowice where an estimated 200 eager participants from around the world showed up at dusk. Using the My Safetipin app, with Katowice as a testing ground, this night walk crowd-sourced information on women and gender minorities’ lived experience of the night, and used the city as a case study to learn about mobility and safety for the vulnerable – and thus the wellbeing of all.  

This walk used a simple, powerful, multilingual technical tool to gather insights from Katowice residents and visitors alike, accompanied by an informal discussion between safety and nighttime practitioners and policymakers from around the world on the topics of mitigating unsafe nights, creating safer public spaces and improving mobility for all. 

Good Nights: Rethinking Urban Safety, Wellbeing, and Community Through Culture After Dark

This event was the first session in WUF history focused on urban nighttime and was co-presented by VibeLab, the European Forum for Urban Security (Efus) and the Efus Women in Cities Initiative (WICI), the Global Parliament of Mayors, and UN-Habitat Safer Cities. 

The panel addressed what we can learn from the cultural driven aspect of nightlife and safety and brought it into a wider context of the World Urban Forum. The panellists contributing to the discussion explored the multiple definitions of safety. With virtual and IRL inputs ranging from people in public, private, cultural and civil society organisations. The discussion explored and highlighted how all these sectors can work together and how the expertise and lived to experience at night can offer alternative approaches to safer cities.

The discussion explored harm reduction, equality and inclusion, alternatives to policing, and the needs of women and gender minorities in urban space.

“The contribution of participative arts contributes to a safe city. Everyone wants to be useful and everyone wants to express themselves safely”

Barbara Holtmann

Key takeaways: 

• Making the connection between gender minorities, safety and the urban night is absolutely essential if we want cities to be sustainable
  
  
• Diverse and lively life at night creates better cities.
  
  
• Night culture and the people that create it can provide new solutions and new ways of understanding and managing the city.
  

• When looking at safety at night time do we measure what we want less of such as murder and violence, or do we measure what we want more of? Which is a cultural expression, activation, happiness or joy?
  
  
• The day has a lot to learn a lot from the night
  
  
• Cultural activation plays into the safety of spaces: Places that are well used feel safer than those that are empty
  
  
• Later opening hours are conducive to safer nights. When there is a 24-hour alcohol license, people don’t binge drink. It changes the behaviour around alcohol consumption, with a focus on experiencing the cultural offerings and slowly enjoying a drink. 

VibeLab and UN-Habitat Safer Cities’ are launching a  SAFETYLAB, where there will be further engagement opportunities. The safety lab connects urban policymakers to nightlife practitioners to explore how culture-centred urban interventions promote safer nights, social inclusion and community wellbeing. If you are interested in finding out more about the SAFETYLAB, get in touch with diana@vibe-lab.org

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The London Night Time Commission has called on the Mayor to establish a Night Time Enterprise Zone.

The Night Time Commission has stated that the increased use of the high street after 6 pm would make London more liveable, relieve pressure on London’s infrastructure and boost local businesses. Following a successful pilot in 2019, the Mayor is expanding his Night Time Enterprise Zones programme across the capital.

“In extending the active hours of the capital’s high streets, there is also an opportunity to ensure that night work is good work.”

These first steps in the city will:

• 📈 Boost recovery
• 🧑‍⚕️ Support night workers
• ✅ Ensure better access to high streets for all Londoners

Read the London Night Time Commission’s ‘Think Night‘ report.

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Desterro, the street name of a venue known for late opening hours established in 2014, was the first spot of this kind Lisbon partygoers would tell you about. Years later, in 2019, a former soccer club bar was converted into what is now referred to as Cosmos, operating from evening to early morning. More recently, the crew behind the queer-feminist Mina Suspension parties opened their new fixed location at Planeta Manas, which since 2021 has been competing with the most prominent nightclubs in the city in terms of bookings, audience, and working hours.

Besides their unusual locations in then-yet-to-be-gentrified areas of the city, these spaces all share the premise that they are only accessible to members of the cultural associations that are running them. Attendees must, therefore, agree to fill in a registration form and pay a yearly membership fee (usually symbolic, 3 euros). This does not include the entrance fee, which depends on the event, and drinks at the bar which are also paid separately. The atmosphere inside resembles more of an intimate gathering at a private event instead of the typical bars or clubs, under the tight control of visually intimidating security staff.

Who may qualify as a cultural association and why start one? The main distinctive requirement is a community organized horizontally rather than the divide between owners and the audience. According to the website of the Lisbon City Hall, “a group of people who have common interests in the area of culture can constitute a cultural association as a way to develop an activity within the scope of those interests and to be publicly represented”. They summarize associações as follows:

• legal entities (with legal personality)
• must be non-profit (that is, they must reinvest all income in the association’s activities and cannot distribute it to members)
• may enjoy tax advantages

Even if they manage to stay active (and taking into consideration that the last two associations emerged during the pandemic), bypassing strict regulations imposed on other venues officially registered as nightclubs, the protection from law enforcement’s action attained by these exclusive member associations is very limited.

Planeta Manas reported on their socials that, earlier this year, more than 20 heavily-armed police forces suddenly raided their newly opened venue during an event. Despite acknowledging it was a mistake, they deliberately invaded their privacy further and randomly searched members for illegal substances.

Far from perfect or a universal solution, associations (cultural or not) are important fringe spaces for social experimentation, catering to niche communities elsewhere in Portugal (like Círculo Católico de Operários do Porto and Sonoscopia in Porto) and the rest of the world (for instance, cannabis associations or “clubs” in Spain, Malta, and South Africa). 

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