Understanding music and nightlife spaces in the city
Creative Footprint
Creative Footprint is a data-driven research project series by VibeLab and the University of Pennsylvania’s PennPraxis on behalf of individual cities.
Creative Footprint’s methodology was developed in 2017 by Lutz Leichsenring in partnership with professors based at Harvard University and leading urban planning academics and practitioners at the University of Pennsylvania’s PennPraxis.
Using the local music venue ecosystem as a starting point, Creative Footprint undertakes community engagement and spatial analysis to examine the cultural value and impact of music and nightlife in the city, emphasising original content, interdisciplinary connection, and cross-functional spaces to promote thriving local scenes.
Combining quantitative and qualitative research methods, Creative Footprint’s approach yields a detailed snapshot of a city’s creative and cultural nighttime infrastructure and the prevailing issues, challenges and opportunities for music and nightlife.
The goal of Creative Footprint is to foster 24-hour towns, cities and regions known for their vibrancy, diversity, safety and access to amenities right throughout the day and night.
Creative Footprint analyses engage local music and nightlife stakeholders through engagements including:
- Focus groups
- In-depth interviews
- On-the-ground research
The deliverable is a report detailing the current state of Framework Conditions (policies and governance of music and nightlife), Content + Community (community-value of spaces), and Space (scale and distribution of spaces) available for
nighttime cultural and community use, alongside recommendations and international case studies and good practices to use in improving policies related to nighttime economies, music, and culture.
Creative Footprint has been conducted in six cities spanning four continents.
Sydney, Australia (2023)
- Creative Footprint score: 6.94
- Number of venues studied: 241
- Client(s): NSW Government
Montréal, Canada (2023)
- Creative Footprint score: 6.57/10
- Number of venues studied: 271
- Client(s): MTL 24/24
- Press
Stockholm, Sweden (2022)
- Creative Footprint score: 6.58/10
- Number of venues studied: 210
- Client(s): Stockholms stad, Fastighetsägarna, Atrium Ljungberg
Tokyo, Japan (2019)
- Creative Footprint score: 6.51/10
- Number of venues studied: 581
- Client(s): Japan Nighttime Economy Association, Japan Tourism Agency
New York, United States of America (2018)
- Creative Footprint score: 7.29/10
- Number of venues studied: 493
- Client(s): Red Bull
Berlin, Germany (2017)
- Creative Footprint score: 8.02/10
- Number of venues studied: 496
- Client(s): Red Bull
“Creative Footprint is a great tool to understand our vibrant local culture, as much for decision-makers and policymakers as for industry stakeholders and nighttime users.”
—Mathieu Grondin, Executive Director and cofounder, MTL 24/24
