Mark Adam Harold
Chair , Night Economy Association of Lithuania
Vilnius, Lithuania
About
Mark Adam Harold is a British-born music industry and night time economy expert based in Vilnius, Lithuania. He has wide experience in the private, non-profit and governmental sectors and has led the design, management and communication of several projects for the benefit of musicians and the development of the nightlife sector. In 2015 he was elected to the City Council of Vilnius and in 2018 he became the first Night Mayor of Vilnius. He then founded the Vilnius Night Alliance and the Night Economy Association of Lithuania. He also runs Music Export Fund, an NGO helping local musicians reach international markets.
Abstract
Vilnius became famous for liberalising pavement cafe regulations during the pandemic, but isn't so famous for nightlife culture, despite the existence of thriving local underground scenes. With less direct flights than other similar cities such as Riga or Budapest, Vilnius has mostly stayed sheltered and avoided the worst problems of overtourism and neon-lit streets full of loud bars, there have also been relatively few problems with neighbours. But Vilnius is still growing fast and there are signs that small music venues are being replaced by generic cocktail bars playing foreign music. So what can we do, and what should we do?
