The fifth Network Journal of Cities After Dark highlights the activities carried out at both transnational and local level between May 2025 and August 2025.
As the network approaches the final months of its activities, the partners of Cities After Dark have completed the final draft of their Integrated Action Plans (IAPs).
The Transnational Meeting of Genoa
The transnational meeting of Genoa promoted reflection on how the integration between special events and regular cultural programming of the city could significantly enhance different dimensions of the nocturnal life of the cities. While the economic and cultural benefits of a well-curated calendar of music and theatre events are evident , the impact that these activities have on the reorganization of city services for enhancing their
accessibility is a topic that deserves to be further explored in order to foster the growth of different segments of the nighttime economy.
The dialogue with night stakeholders of the city and different departments of the local authority highlighted the main challenges of the Genoa’s nightlife, which range from the delocalization of festivals and after dark cultural activities from the centre to peripheral areas (an interesting element for a city that spans more than 40 kilometers) to the connection between a rich programme of events and festivals with innovative night policies.
The Study Visits to Zadar and Varna
The delocalization of the night-time economy activity was the main topic of the study visit to Zadar on 12-13 June 2025. This topic is also aligned with the commitment of the Croatian city within the Urban Agenda for the EU Partnership on Sustainable Tourism, in which context Zadar is guiding the implementation of an action on the diversification in space and time of tourism activities, which aims at enhancing the opportunities for residents and visitors with a focus not only on the central areas of the cities.
The approach at the bottom of this action is also at the heart of initiatives like the Kvart Art Festival, which encourages the reuse of public spaces in peripheral areas of the city during the summer months, especially in favor of the residents who feel excluded from the Old Town overcrowded by tourists during the holiday season.
Innovative Urban Mobility at Night-Time
The webinar explored the realities, challenges, and opportunities of urban mobility after dark, with a focus on inclusion, accessibility, and innovation across European cities. Hosted by Karolina Orcholska, Ad Hoc Expert of Cities After Dark and Lead Expert of the PUMA network, the masterclass offered a broader understanding of the different categories who move after dark and shared a series of examples, tools and strategy which may be included by the partners of the network within their Integrated Action Plans.
Funding Strategies For Night-Time Economy
The online thematic seminar provided an overview of funding opportunities available to support urban night-time strategies, with a focus on local authorities, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and cultural or community-based initiatives. With a masterclass ran by the Ad Hoc Expert Alberto Lorente Saiz, the session highlighted how European and complementary public-private funding sources can be strategically accessed to support projects linked to night-time vibrancy, inclusion, and sustainable development. The online thematic seminar introduced a theoretical framework for integrated funding that was then developed with concrete exercises during the Transnational meeting of Genoa.
Improving the Environmental Impact of the Night-Time Economy
The relationship between night-time activities and climate change is becoming increasingly relevant, as multiple sectors from cultural events to urban planning begin to address sustainability challenges during nocturnal hours. Alessio Kolioulis explored this complex link in its research action, with a focus focusing on how climate change is shifting the dynamics of urban life at night.
While this reflection began with the experiences of migrant construction workers in Qatar during the World Cup, forced to work at night to avoid the effects of daily heatwaves, the practices developed in many cities globally show that night shifts are becoming increasingly important due to climate adaptation reasons. In cities across the United States, India, Pakistan, and Spain, activities once conducted during the day
are now being shifted to night-time to avoid extreme heat. For example, garbage collectors in Spain now operate only at night, while in Dubai public beaches are equipped for being used in nocturnal hours.
The Testing Actions of Varna and Malaga
Based on the connection between night-time mobility and cultural participation, the Testing Action carried out by Varna on the occasion of the European Night of Museums and Galleries on 17 May 2025 offered an interesting example of sustainable and inclusive night-time activity which engaged a wide audience in the exploration of the central neighborhoods of the city, main target of the action of revitalization fostered by the IAP. The first part of the Testing Action focused on understanding patterns and perceptions of night-time mobility within the city.
Fostering a broader understanding of the perception and impact of the night-time economy among various local stakeholders is the element at the core of the Testing Action kickstarted by CIEDES Foundation in Malaga in June 2025. This action took place in key areas of the city where nighttime activity is most intense, including the Historic Center, Teatinos, and Huelin neighbourhoods. The initiative is based on a participatory and data-driven approach, with a particular focus on incorporating diverse voices and using innovative tools to map experiences and challenges.
Under the Spotlight: The Action of the Cities at Local Level
Insights shared during transnational meetings, study visits and online thematic seminars were crucial for connecting the action of the ULG with innovative experiences across Europe, but also to highlight possible funding sources for the implementation of the actions co-designed at local level. The thematic review of the IAPs under the lenses of digital transition, gender equality and energy transition provided by the Ad Hoc Experts of the network and the periodic review of the IAP by the Lead Expert provided useful support for consolidating the approaches tested by Testing Actions within the IAPs, but also for making these integrated night strategies the basis for a long-term commitment on night-time economy.
Cities After Dark Shortlisted for Music Cities Awards 2025
Braga and Nicosia have been nominated in the Best Night-Time Economy Initiative category of the prize that celebrates innovative projects from around the globe using the transformational power of music to strengthen their communities. The Braga After Dark festival and the temporary use of public spaces for nocturnal activities in Nicosia were both implemented as Testing Actions in the framework of their participation in the first URBACT network on night-time economy.
The Awards Ceremony will take place on 16 September 2025 during the Music Cities Convention in Fayetteville (USA).
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