Australia News: Report To Shape Sydney’s 24-Hour Strategy

A new Global Cities After Dark report is the basis for summits on reigniting Sydney’s nighttime economy as part of a 24-hour strategy.

The Sydney Future Proofing Report, released Feb. 9 through VibeLab Asia Pacific, contained 14 recommendations and 10 best practice examples from around the world.

These derived from the week-long Global Cities After Dark Sydney conference held March 2021 with 150 international and Australian speakers.

Over the next four months, VibeLab and music association MusicNSW will hold live music and hospitality industry planning sessions.

Themes for discussion include better transport options, night time activities not centered around alcohol, more visibility for patrons and acts with disabilities, cheaper rent in the inner city and snipping red tape for music venues.

Among overseas examples for consideration are Arlington County, VA’s Proactive Alliance of collaboration between police, businesses and community members; and the 40-member UK Music’s bi-annual Diversity Report to introduce a multicultural approach in thinking in board rooms.

Its deputy chair Paulette Long warned, “Without CEOs buying in and being interested, there isn’t going to be systemic change.”

Santa Fe, N.M.-based Meow Wolf franchise founder Vince Kadlubek’s advice on aiming art to its widest audience, noted, “The entirety of the night time economy is inherently experiential.”

Mumbai, India-based Riyaaz Amlani, head of fast expanding hospitality empire Impresario Entertainment, outlined the 30-city success of its “coffee shop with alcohol” concept SOCIAL. 

“Sydney is one of the few cities in the world to have a detailed 24-Hour Economy Strategy,” said Michael Rodrigues, the NSW government’s inaugural 24-Hour Economy Commissioner.

“We have an amazing opportunity to use the strategy to create something special in our city.”

Event marketing platform Audience Republic and Live Nation/Ticketmaster’s Moshtix have struck up a partnership. 

Moshtix users can access Audience Republic’s event marketing tools for venues, promoters and festivals, including increasing word-of-mouth, building audience and unlocking customer insights through age, gender and music tastes.

Customers earn rewards for referring friends, and promoters’ Event CRM becomes a single place to bring together sales and customer data from platforms they already use with analytics, segmentation, email marketing, text messaging, and integrations with advertising networks.

The spread of Omicron and uncertainty caused by it caused the cancellation of WOMAD NZ in Taranaki (March 18-20) and Homegrown in Wellington (March 19).

WOMAD’S 2021 edition was also scrapped when organizers feared a loss of million dollars in case of lockdown.

This time it gets 90% of unrecoverable costs from the government’s Events Transition Support Payment Scheme, and the local New Plymouth council’s NZ$1.9 million ($1.26 million) one-off underwrite for future events up until 2026.

It was regarded as “a prudent decision” but one with negative economic consequences. From 2003 to 2018 WOMAD generated NZ$125.9 million ($83.6 million), an average of NZ$9 million ($5.98 million) a year.

The event is attended by up to 17,000 people a day, with many traveling from outside the region. 

Homegrown was heading for a sell-out of 22,500 to see Drax Project, The Beths, Kora and Gin Wigmore.