News July 9, 2018

City of Sydney nightlife panel elects co-chairs, identifies top 5 priorities

Pictured: Back row, left to right – Justine Baker, John Ferris, Jacob Collier, Stephan Gyory, Michael Wynn-Jones, John Green, Kat Dopper, Greg Turton, Phillip Wadds, James Winter, Joshua Green, Kerri Glasscock. Front row, left to right – Emily Collins, Joy Ng, Cr Jess Scully, Emilya Colliver. Picture by: Katherine Griffiths

The City of Sydney’s new nightlife and creative sector panel has elected Sydney Fringe CEO and festival director Kerri Glasscock and councillor Jess Scully as co-chairs.

In its second meeting last week, it also identified the top five priorities in achieving its aims.

The panel is made up of 15 experts who represent the hospitality, live music and performance, theatre, festivals, retail, business and public safety sectors.

It will offer advice to the City of Sydney about how it can support the sustainable development of Sydney’s nightlife.

Glasscock’s 20 years of experience in cultural, artistic and business roles included being a founding co-director of 505, which has owned and operated live music club Venue 505 in Surry Hills for more than 13 years.

“I’m delighted to be co-chairing the City’s nightlife and creative sector advisory panel with councillor Scully,” she said.

“It’s a wonderful acknowledgement that the nightlife of our city is an important and vital part of city living.

“The overwhelmingly positive responses to the City’s recent discussion paper, An Open and Creative City, is a testament to Sydneysiders’ desire and passion for a vibrant, diverse offering at night.”

She pointed out that the Sydney Fringe had worked with the City for many years to navigate the issues that the panel was now working on.

The panel has identified its top five priorities:

change the narrative about Sydney’s nightlife;
reduce regulation;
promote stronger collaboration among stakeholders;
deliver flexible buildings to enable more creativity;
advocate for the introduction of 24-hour public transport.

Last week’s meeting looked at how the City’s nightlife had changed, the huge growth in certain areas, and how policies and controls are being changed to address these shifts.

The panel also looked at proposals in An Open and Creative City.

These include allowing shops to trade later, encouraging more small-scale cultural activities and more diverse creative activity late at night, and introducing an ‘agent of change’ approach to more fairly manage sound from music venues.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore looks forward to working with the panel to boost Sydney’s nightlife.

“It is critical that we look beyond the NSW government’s lockout laws and support the many individuals and businesses who are committed to keeping Sydney’s nightlife diverse, vibrant and interesting,” she said.

Councillor Scully added, “Our community is on board too – as part of the City’s most recent community consultation, over 10,000 people told us they wanted more late night areas, extended opening hours and more things to do after dark.