Vienna’s city government supports Vienna Club Commission, boosting the city’s nighttime industries.
In mid-July 2022, the Vienna city government department of economics, culture and youth, funded the Vienna Club Commission (VCC), collectively strengthening its impact on nighttime ecosystems. The VCC pilot project began in 2020 and has now progressed into a fully supported initiative with a 5-10 year plan, and funding of 300,000 € per year.
What does a Club Commission or Nighttime Advocacy Office do?
The key aim of the Club Commission is to strengthen and empower the nighttime communities, providing information and mediation between different venues, residents and organisations whilst ensuring that clubs are valued as socially and culturally significant to the city’s foundation.
Global nighttime advocacy offices are on the rise. The number of cities with nighttime advocacy organisations has increased by 30% in the last year. Check the Nighttime.org advocacy map for more information on the movement.
In the press conference last Thursday 15th, Veronica Kaup-Hasler, City Councilor for Culture and Science stated: “I am pleased that the VCC has now started its work as a bridge between clubs and the city and as a firmly anchored contact and service point.”
VibeLab is consulting the newly funded Vienna Club Commission.
Many new nighttime office models are based on the experiences developed in Berlin. For example, decentralised decision-making, community-led initiatives and non-hierarchal structures have proven to be a successful communication framework, over the last 20 years in Berlin — a city where clubs now share the same rights as cultural institutions.
VibeLab’s co-founder Lutz Leichsenring has now been appointed the “Organisation Development Consultant”, for Vienna Club Commission, sharing knowledge and experience about nighttime advocacy.
What is the structure?
The overall concept submitted is based on three core points:
*In-depth Analysis of the Club and Event Scene in Community Sessions.
As a publicly transparent dialogue platform, the Vienna Club Commission sessions, which take place every three months, serve to present the activities and goals of the Vienna Club Commission to anyone in the community who wants to attend as well as target groups in the club scene, to encourage collaboration and the sharing of ideas.
At each VCC session, three focus groups are formed on specific projects, and the lead manager of the respective focus group is chosen by all those present. Information, needs and challenges, ideas and solutions are discussed in a structured manner, considering the various concerns.
•Organizational development and consulting
With Lutz Leichsenring as an organisational development consultant, the Vienna Club Commission has the expertise of one VibeLabs internationally renowned services to guide and advise in a strategic partnership.
• Independence of the team members
In the focus groups, the Viena Club Commission receives direct input from the club and event scene. However, the core team consists of people without economic interests in the club scene, removing bias and guaranteeing neutrality and objectivity in the Vienna Club Commission services.
Quotes:
Quote for Lutz- “It’s an honour to support Vienna in the next steps of developing and supporting the club scene and to share the advanced learnings that we have experienced through chairing the Berlin Club Commission and founding VibeLab. Please be in touch if any other cities are interested in taking their nighttime office to the next level.”
The respective focus group projects are now going into the second round. This regular exchange of practical experience from the club and event sector provides the essential basis for the successful work of the Vienna Club Commission. To create utopias for unique club and event experiences in Vienna or to support the actions of the individual actors in the best possible way and that, in harmony with the city dwellers, prefer peace and quiet – that is the actively lived self-commitment of the VCC team.« Martina Brunner, co-management, content management, VCC
Focus Group Themes
The Safer Party – Safer Nightlife.
This focus group spent a quarter developing a survey on safety in Vienna’s nightlife scenes, which will be launched at the beginning of 2023. The focus groups addressed the first steps necessary to provide young people with low-threshold, consumption-free and music-related spaces.
Funding
The VCC website highlights current funding opportunities for club operators, organisers and cultural workers and the targeted focus groups relay this information effectively and support with applications.
Sustainability
Looking at event sustainability in terms of economic and ecological balance.
Following a successful pilot project, the new service and agency of the City of Vienna, the Vienna Club Commission, will now also become a permanent institution and will not only enable Vienna to get along better at night but will also position Austria’s largest city internationally and network. At this point, we thank the responsible city councillors and the respective club and event community for their commitment and support. Thomas Heher, co-management, commercial management, VCC