The VibeLab consultancy is trying to remedy this situation by compiling data worldwide. The aim is to convince public authorities to make sure the party isn't over for after-hours entertainment
While nightlife plays an important role in the cultural fabric of many cities, it is increasingly under threat from noise pollution and gentrification. The VibeLab consultancy is trying to remedy this situation by compiling data around the world. The aim is to convince public authorities to make sure the party isn't over for after-hours entertainment.
VibeLab was launched in 2018 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In August, the Dutch capital announced a series of measures designed to protect its nightlife. One of these is to find places to host nightclubs—a daunting task, given the city's rising property prices and growing gentrification.
These problems are not unique to Amsterdam. Everywhere in the world, nightlife providers face numerous difficulties in carrying out their activities. Municipalities often give in to pressure from local residents, who complain about the nuisance caused by nightclubs and other festive venues. This phenomenon has become so widespread in Germany that it has been dubbed the "clubsterben" or "death of the clubs."
VibeLab strives to change the way people think about nightlife by compiling data on the economic, tourism and cultural benefits it can generate. At the request of governmental and municipal agencies, VibeLab collects this data by interviewing locals who can shed light on the matter. "These are maybe not the highest-ranking operators, but people that really know what the scene is about: music journalists, small independent promoters, passionate people that go out often," VibeLab cofounder Mirik Milan told Billboard.