Nightlife Economy
Our mission is to steward a more robust and equitable nightlife economy to enhance the overall quality of life for all residents of Boston.
The Mayor’s Office of Nightlife Economy is dedicated to serving as a liaison and convener between city government and the nightlife ecosystem of:
- business owners and workers, and
- patrons and residents.
We will help identify, establish, and coordinate systemic solutions. Our goal is to support a thriving and sustainable nightlife economy and culture that all residents can benefit from.
Contact
-
1 City Hall Square
Boston, MA 02201 -
Media and Press Inquiries
Contact kelsey.bruun@boston.gov
EVENTS
WAKE UP THE NIGHT GRANT
Through the Wake Up the Night Grant, Mayor Michelle Wu and the Office of Nightlife Economy will award individuals and organizations up to $10,000 for nighttime activations. The Grant aims to revitalize Boston’s nightlife economy and foster safe, inclusive social spaces by investing in events aligned with the following categories:
- Accessible Programming: Social events specifically curated for persons with diverse abilities (physical, cognitive, or emotional)
- Cultural Expression: Activations showcasing the many cultural interests and expressions of Bostonians.
- Intergenerational: Activations promoting multi-generational social interaction.
- Spirit-Free Programming: Activations mindfully omitting the consumption and presence of alcohol.
- Weekday Activations: Events promoting social interaction Monday through Thursday, specifically in the Downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.
- Youth Programing: Activations aimed to serve persons 20 years old and younger.
The 42 grant recipients of the inaugural Wake Up the Night Grant are:
- A Trike Called Funk for Funk Fest
- Abilities Dance Boston for Fall Ballet
- ANIKAYA for Sacred Spaces Series at Night
- Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) for Films at the Gate Festival
- Ball in the House, LLC for Family Sing! with Ball in the House
- Castle of our Skins: Intersecting Points for The Life and Music of Julia Perry
- Chills Diamond Ring Education Foundation for Teen Networking Socials
- Curation Agency, LLC for LITE it UP!: The Adult Playground
- Design Museum Foundation, Inc for Family Design Workshops with Minni & Design Museum Everywhere
- Downtown Boston Business Improvement District (BID) for Third Space Creative Showcase Series
- Dray Drinks LLC for Non-Alcoholic Beer Garden and Night Market
- Dunamis Inc. for One Night In Atlantis
- Edosa Osemwegie for The Ultimate Game Night: Wellness Edition
- Elizabeth DiCiaccio for Dyke Alley
- Elizabeth Tobin for Rocking Rozzie: A Celebration of Women Who Rock!
- Friends of the South End Library for Summer Jazz Concerts in Library Park
- HellaBlack LLC for Hella Black Trivia Night
- Hoops Collaborative Youth Development Program for Hoops Collaborative EmpowerHer Basketball League
- Kahleil Blair for The Juice III
- Akou Diabakhate for Night Glow Series: Empowering Cultural Expression and Wellness
- KickBack Boston for One Day Only Fest
- Live Like a Local Tours Boston for Community Arts Showcase
- Longfellow Area Neighborhood Association for LANA Ice Cream Social
- Makeysha Montgomery for Nina Simone and Johanne Sabastian Bach "A Connection of Two Geniuses"
- Mariona Lloreta for ALTARS, A Live Experience
- Matthew Meyers for Night Cap Evening Cafe & Event Series
- Patrick Ly for Close the Circle
- Piers Park Sailing Center for Kayak the Night
- Pitch Black Media for Downtown Comedy Nights
- Richard Njoroge for AboveGround x Boston: UNIIQU3 + Conducta
- Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy (Greenway Conservancy) for Dewey Square Mural Opening Celebration & Drag Show
- Roxbury Cultural District for Nubian Nights, Part 3, The Arts, The Culture, The People of Roxbury
- Sadiq Ervin for The Blair B*tch Project
- Spontaneous Celebrations for Lantern Parade
- Substation Community Supporters for A Haunted Circus: A Halloween spectacle!
- The Little Cocoa Bean Company for Food is a Love Language
- The Record Co. for Boston Waves
- The West End Museum for A Confluence of Cultures: Immigrants, Music, and the Art of Cultural Enrichment
- Tony's Market for Pop-Up Opera in Roslindale
- United Dance for “Kick off the Holidays”
- Urbanity Dance for Urbanity Dance Fall Crawl Event
- Veronica Robles Cultural Center for Día de los Muertos Night
The Nightlife Initiative for a Thriving Economy (NITE) Committee were selected based on their deep professional and personal contributions to Boston's nightlife.
The Committee will meet every two months to evaluate regulations and policies impacting Boston's nightlife economy and culture. The Committee will present informed findings and provide recommendations to the City. Members will commit to serving a one year term and will have an option to continue service for one additional year. The first NITE Committee meeting took place on May 20, 2024.
The inaugural NITE Committee consists of 26 residents, business, and civic leaders who represent 14 Boston neighborhoods. They bring a diverse range of expertise and perspectives related to the food and beverage industry, arts and culture, entertainment, public safety, community, and compliance.
The 26 members of the NITE Committee are:
- Aldo Callegas, Owner of La Hacienda
- Ann Sousa, Executive Director of Brighter Boston
- Bessie King, Founding Board Member of Massachusetts Restaurants United
- Cerise Marcela, Director of CBRE
- Chris Haynes, Owner of CBH Communication
- Chimel Idiokitas, Founder of the DIFRNT Agency and DJ
- Daniel Steele, Resident of Jamaica Plain
- Danielle Johnson, Owner of Spark FM Online
- Edward Kane, Owner of Big Night Entertainment
- Eric Woods, Chief Operating Officer of the Museum of Fine Arts
- Esther Tetreault, Owner of Trillium Brewing
- Farrah Belizaire, Event Producer for LiteWork Events
- Frank Poindexter, Owner of Wally's Cafe Jazz Club
- Gregory Ball, Director of Digital Strategy for Embrace Boston
- Hilina D. Ajakaiye, Executive Vice President of Meet Boston
- Jarred Johnson, Executive Director TransitMatters
- Josh Bhatti, Senior Vice President of The Bowery Presents
- Kurt Mclaughlin, Owner of KP Media
- Lambert Rahming, Owner of FROLIC
- Lana Nathe, Owner of Light Insight Design Studio and Board Member of LIGHT Boston
- Luz Arregoces, Director of Community Engagement for the New England Aquarium
- Michael Nichols, President of the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District
- Ming Min Hui, Executive Director of the Boston Ballet
- Rob Eugene, Owner of HUE
- Veronica Rosario, Co-Founder of .Tribe and DJ
- Walid Samaha, Head of Business Development for Heartbeat Venture
NITE U (Night Industries Training and Education), a new initiative by the Department of Nightlife Economy, offers comprehensive training and resources for the nightlife sector. It serves as a one-stop location for information and support.
NITE U offers:
- Monthly In-Person Classes: Nite U offers in-person trainings on topics of interest to the nightlife industry, from safety to professional development.
- Easy Access Resources: Nite U is a one-stop portal for nightlife workers and managers to access important information and resources.
- Safety Resources and Trainings
- Physical and Mental Health Resources
- Addiction Support Resources
- Financial Planning and Tax Preparation
- Employee Rights and Professional Development
- Licensing and Permit Links
News
News
Contact
-
1 City Hall Square
Boston, MA 02201 -
Media and Press Inquiries
Contact kelsey.bruun@boston.gov
