New York City mayor Bill De Blasio, and the council member Rafael Espinal, announced that Ariel Palitz will be the first Senior Executive Director of the Office of Nightlife, also referred to as Nightlife Mayor.
This position opened in August, when the city council voted to create a nightlife-focused administrative arm, and it’s meant to be an intermediary between the city, its night venues and the community, some of whom have voiced issues with noise and other disturbances that surround some nightlife spots. Indeed, in her first official act, Ariel Palitz promised to hold listening tours and listent to the complaints of those who are bothered by the vomit on their streets or the noise at 3 a.m.
Palitz revealed: “I’ve always been a nocturnal person. Nocturnal people just sort of gravitate toward night life. But I don’t think that will change even if I have to be in the office at 9 AM.”
Council Member Rafael Espinal shared that “It is exciting to learn that NYC’s first Nightlife Mayor is a female with a strong background in nightlife and community advocacy. I believe the nightlife community will have a well-rounded voice in Ariel Palitz and the administration will have a unique perspective on nightlife issues. There is a lot of work to do and I look forward to working with Ariel as I continue advocating for the independent venues and DIY community that desperately needs the city’s support to come out of the bureaucratic shadows.”
NYC is the latest major city to recognize a need for a specific branch of government to oversee nightlife culture. It follows Amsterdam, London, Paris and Zurich.
