Nocturnal Cities forum at Nova Scotia Music Week
Saturday, November 3 Elm/Oak Ballroom, Holiday Inn Truro, 437 Prince Street
$55 (forum only, included w/NSMW delegate pass, $100)
nsmw.ca
This year's annual Nova Scotia Music Week—starting tonight in Truro—has a theme of "building stronger communities" and part of that is the brand-new Nocturnal Cities forum. It will focus on the nighttime economy, or "what happens after dark in a city," as MNS's executive director Scott Long puts it.
"One of the biggest things we're trying to illustrate is that you can go out safely," says Long, who works in a province that is known internationally for its alcohol consumption yet places strict rules on its drinking establishments, particularly ones with live music. "We're capable of doing this, we don't need government telling us we're not capable of being safe."
The invitation has already been extended to elected officials at multiple levels. "We want to try and work with the city and the province and look at regulations where we can improve business practices," says Long. "Keeping in mind that nighttime economy doesn't have to be something that's unsafe, or unruly."
MNS is bringing in people from all over the world to discuss the possibilities for the law-makers, venue owners, musicians and patrons who all participate in the province's nighttime economy. They include Shira Gans from the New York mayor's office of media and entertainment; Ashtyn Bevan and Stacey Forrester, founders of Good Night Out Vancouver; Allison Harnden from Pittsburgh's office of night time economy; and Paulette Long, co-chair of the music diversity task force in the UK.
"Cities around the world are actually hiring people for these departments," says Long. "It's a point in between the existing traditional planners and regulators, trying to bring new ideas forward to increase overall economic growth in the cities, and make them attractive for young and educated people."
