Sydney's Global Cities After Dark Forum Announces First Speaker Line-up

Sydney will welcome a group of world-class night-culture specialists this November for the inaugural Global Cities After Dark forum, spearheaded by Amsterdam night mayor and renowned nightlife advocate Mirik Milan.

Joining Milan on the speakers' bill will be The Creative Footprint founder Lutz Leichsenring, Kate Becker (director of the Office Of Film & Music, City Of Seattle), FBi Radio's Clare Holland, Harvard University Night Researcher Andreina Seijas, SLAM's Helen Marcou, Anne Malloch of the City Of Melbourne, City Of Sydney's Jess Scully and Libby Harris, street artist Baby Guerrilla, Keep Sydney Open's Tyson Koh, QMusic executive officer Joel Edmondson and more experts and activists with a vested interest in creating and sustaining vibrant nighttime economies at home and around the world.

"Being a part of Global Cities After Dark is like a dream come true, because by sharing ideas for a safe and vibrant nightlife, it empowers bottom-up initiatives after dark that contribute and strengthen creative cities around the world," Milan said in a statement.

"It will be one of the most innovative forums from a city planning perspective because global thought leaders will gather in Sydney to discuss what strategies can be put in place for creating liveable inclusive cities with high quality of life and culture for everyone."

The forum will include an array of workshops and expert sessions, discussing a wealth of topics such as public health and politics, talent expansion opportunities, the role of culinary businesses in spurring cultural growth, urban planning, mobility and public transport, and legislation, among other intellectual arenas.

This year's Global Cities After Dark — the brainchild of the people at the Electronic Music Conference (EMC) — is the first of three planned annual events to be held in Sydney each November through 2019, and aims to build a global network of nighttime culture specialists to grow and exchange knowledge, best practices and insights to create sustainable, thriving nightlife for populations present and future.

“EMC is honoured to be working with Mirik Milan and his team to present this important project," EMC's Jane Slingo said in a statement. "The electronic music sector knows too well the impact that colourful and thriving nightlife can have on economy and culture for any city or region.

"We’re very excited about this new way of approaching night-time culture and economy from a global perspective, and we’re very confident that there will be some very positive outcomes from Global Cities After Dark this year and in the future."

Global Cities After Dark will be held in Sydney on Tuesday 28 November.

See the full guest line-up below and head to the forum's website for more information.

Global Cities After Dark — Speakers' Line-up

Adam Winstock, Global Drug Survey
Andee Frost, Animals Dancing
Andreina Seijas, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Anne Loxley, C3 West
Anne Malloch, City of Melbourne
Baby Guerrilla, Artist
Barrie Barton, Right Angle Studio
Brett Robinson, Icebergs Group
Chris Raine, Hello Sunday Morning
Clare Holland, FBi Radio
Declan Lee, Gelato Messina
Dr Caitlin Hughes, National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre
Emily Collins, Music NSW
Glen Cassidy, Cake Wines
Helen Marcou, Bakehouse Studios/Save Live Australia Music (SLAM)
Jemma Cole, Soft Centre
Jess Scully, City of Sydney
Joel Edmondson, QMusic
Kate Becker, Office of Film & Music City of Seattle
Kees Dorst, UTS
Kevin Nuttall, Waterfield
Kirsty Rivers, Creative Victoria
Libby Harris, City of Sydney
Lutz Leichsenring, Berlin Clubcommission/The Creative Footprint
Marie-Louise Theile, James Street Initiative
Maurice Terzini, Icebergs Group
Mirik Milan, Night Mayor of Amsterdam
Sarah Barron, MCA
Simon Shaw, Capstone Collective
Tyson Koh, Keep Sydney Open