This morning, the first meeting of the Permanent Commission of the Night Council of the city of Barcelona was held, with the participation of the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, and the new Night Commissioner, Carme Zapata. The meeting was also attended by representatives from the restaurant and nightlife sectors, such as FECASARM (Catalan Federation of Nightlife and Restaurant Businesses), a member of the INA, as well as neighborhood associations, women’s councils, youth organizations, seniors, LGTBI groups, the hotel and commerce sectors, major festivals, and other key areas related to nighttime coexistence in the city. Additionally, members from various municipal departments that are part of the commission were also present.
During the meeting, the new Night Commissioner of Barcelona, Carme Zapata, was officially appointed, making Barcelona the first city in Spain to have a nighttime governance figure. She outlined the strategic guidelines and the functioning of the commissions within this new framework. It is worth noting that Jaume Collboni's government announced the appointment of Carme Zapata as Night Commissioner last October making her over a hundred global nighttime governance figures in place.
The main objective of this role is to develop a nighttime governance model that fosters dialogue and collaboration among the various stakeholders involved in nightlife while promoting a balance between nighttime activity and community coexistence. With this step, the City Council reaffirms its commitment to comprehensive and participatory management of nightlife, aligned with the needs and interests of all the groups involved.
For his part, Joaquim Boadas, General Secretary of the INA and FECASARMhas applauded the appointment of Carme Zapata as the Night Commissioner of Barcelona, a figure they had been requesting for some time. Boadasemphasized that this move places Barcelona on par with other major cities like Berlin, London, and New York. "It's the profile we were asking for, someone connected to the sector and who knows it well, not a political profile," said Boadas.
Boadas also expressed his expectations regarding this figure: "Now we hope that the main objective of implementing this figure in Barcelona is fulfilled and that it serves to protect and preserve the venues in the nightlife sector, plan for the opening of new ones, save jobs, and avoid closures. We also trust that safety will be improved with efficient measures and that nighttime coexistence in the city will be promoted with actions that consider the broader interests of the city and everyone, not just those of one party," he concluded.
Exactly one year ago, Ariel Palitz, the first nightlife mayor of New York met with Barcelona City Hall
Exactly one year ago, on December 1, 2023, Ariel Palitz, the former night mayor of New York, met with representatives of Barcelona City Hall. The meeting included representatives from the Barcelona City Hall, specifically Albert Batlle, Third Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Montse Surroca, Commissioner for Coexistence in Barcelona, and Ivan Pera, Commissioner for Ciutat Vella. Also attending were Joaquim Boadas, Secretary General of the INA, the Spanish nightlife employers' association Spain Nightlife, and FECASARM, and David López, President of FECASARM.
During the meeting, Ariel Palitz explained to the representatives of the Barcelona City Hall how the New York City Night Mayor's Office operates, as there was a significant interest from the Barcelona City Hall in implementing a similar figure. It is important to note that the current mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, has included the creation of an office to manage the city's nighttime activities in his electoral program.
In this regard, Joaquim Boadas, in his speech during today’s inaugural event of the Permanent Commission of the Night Council, congratulated Mayor Jaume Collboni for choosing to implement the same model used in New York City. He also thanked him for speaking of a "new phase" in the relationship between the City Council and the nightlife sector.
In last year's meeting, Ariel Palitz already endorsed the creation of this figure in Barcelona, highlighting that the city would benefit from an office with no punitive spirit, dedicated to balancing the needs of the community with the protection of the nightlife sector while improving coexistence between venues and neighbors. She also emphasized the importance of having someone with knowledge of the nightlife scene who could act as a bridge between all the involved parties to coordinate resources and solutions, predicting that Barcelona would greatly appreciate the creation of this figure, as has indeed been the case.
