Brussels will be integrating its iconic party scene more effectively into the general city life by developing a "24/7 vision" for it, announced Brussels State Secretary for the Image of Brussels, Ans Persoons (Vooruit).
Nightlife in the Belgian capital is internationally renowned, but it is regularly under pressure: the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis, the closure or impending closure of iconic venues, and the growing difficulty in finding suitable premises are just a few examples of this.
At the same time, there are challenges relating to quality of life, noise, the environment, health, safety and the shared use of public space.
This week, Persoons' proposal to develop a strategy to ensure a sustainable future for Brussels' nightlife and to integrate it more effectively into city life was approved by the Brussels Government.
"A vibrant nightlife and a pleasant city to live in need not be mutually exclusive. Nightlife and party culture are part of the very soul of Brussels," she said. "They help shape the open, creative, diverse and cosmopolitan character of our city and contribute to its cultural appeal and economic dynamism."
Therefore, Persoons is giving the Brussels Night Council a new impetus and the task of developing a "24/7 vision".
Illustration shows people queuing outside a night club in Brussels, Friday 01 October 2021. Credit: Belga
Streamlining
With the 24/7 approach, the Brussels Night Council is aiming to contribute to a "forward-looking vision" of nightlife, "in which cultural dynamism, economic development and quality of life go hand in hand".
In the coming years, the regional action plan will focus on four major challenges for Brussels' nightlife culture:
- the place of nightlife in the city
- a safe and inclusive nightlife environment
- a strong cultural and economic ecosystem
- a balanced relationship between nightlife and the city’s quality of life.
As nightlife and the party scene involve many policy areas and partners, Brussels deliberately opted to work within a single Night Council that brings together regional, municipal and community authorities, experts, representatives of the sector and civil society.
As a consultation platform, the Night Council will strengthen cooperation, help to better coordinate policy instruments and monitor priorities.
"Nightlife is a treasure we wish to preserve and nurture by developing a long-term vision in which night-time culture is fully integrated into policy areas such as urban development, culture, the economy, mobility, safety and healthcare," Persoons added.
She also highlighted that several positive steps have already been taken in recent years. Now, the Brussels-Capital Region intends to build on these through the Brussels Night Council.
Brussels’ nightlife was recognised as part of Brussels’ intangible cultural heritage in 2023, and the ‘Agent of Change’ principle was recently approved on the initiative of Vooruit MP Pascal Smet.
The City of Brussels is also currently working on a Nightlife Masterplan.
