The city of Frankfurt has set up a night council to strengthen nightlife culture and the night-time economy. This measure implements a project of the Department of Economics, Law and City Marketing, which was agreed in the coalition agreement. Head of Economic Affairs Stephanie Wüst emphasizes that Frankfurt, as a modern metropolis, should offer cultural activities and services not only during the day, but also in the late evening hours: "We want to create a quality of life even after 10 pm."
In recent years, Frankfurt's cultural offerings, especially in the night-time economy, have been greatly reduced - not least due to the pandemic. Clubs have been squeezed out, which has not only weakened the music scene but also led to a lack of event spaces. As a result, public places have become meeting places that pose challenges for residents and city administrations in terms of waste, noise and safety concepts. "This is where the night council comes in as a network," explains Wüst. "It is the interface between the city administration, those involved in the night-time economy and local residents."
A committee for a diverse city
The Night Council is a politically independent committee that works on a voluntary basis. It consists of representatives from the city administration as well as multipliers from various sectors, including gastronomy, the hotel industry, the club scene, event organizers, youth and culture. The aim is to promote a liveable and attractive city that offers a diverse nightlife culture and the potential of the night-time economy. Pilot projects and campaigns are also planned to revitalize the night scene.
Currently, the Night Council consists of 13 members. Originally, a night mayor was intended for this role. However, Wüst emphasizes that a team of several members makes more sense: "The variety of challenges in the areas of gastronomy, sport, culture, live music, the hotel industry and youth requires a broad range of expertise that is better covered by a committee than by a single person."
Each member of the Night Council is responsible for a specific area of expertise. The aim is to bring impetus to the city and provide ideas to strengthen the night-time culture and night-time economy. "I hope that the Night Council will be recognized by all relevant stakeholders, but above all by the citizens," says Wüst.
Staff unit City Marketing as a link
The Night Council is part of the City Marketing staff unit, which is headed by Eduard M. Singer. It takes on the coordination and organizational tasks and acts as a bridge to the city administration. "We ensure that the concerns, impulses, concrete ideas and recommendations of the Night Council are passed on to the relevant committees and departments of the city administration," explains Singer. However, he emphasizes that the Night Council is not a complaints body, but takes on an advisory and supportive role.
Pilot projects and citizen participation
An initial focus of the Night Council is on pilot projects and campaigns. "Various ideas are conceivable here, for example the 'Frankfurt Nights' event", says Singer. In cooperation with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and Tourismus+Congress GmbH Frankfurt (TCF), the Night Council is also planning to expand the existing study "Tourism as an economic factor in Frankfurt" from 2013 to include aspects of the night-time economy. Implementation of the study is planned for early 2025.
Citizens should also be actively involved. Singer proposes introducing public meetings or citizens' question and answer sessions: "We also want to specifically invite citizens to be heard on certain topics and projects."
In order to be able to react flexibly to different topics, the night council wants to bring in additional experts from areas such as retail, security, business and associations on a project-by-project basis. "It is important for us to be open and able to act," emphasizes Singer.
A total of 68,000 euros has been allocated from the city budget for 2024 for the work of the Night Council. With this support, the Night Council will help to revitalize Frankfurt's nightlife in the coming years and promote a vibrant, culturally diverse city even after dark.
