Urban Law at Night: Night Mayors and Nighttime Urban Governance Strategies for Sustainable Urban Night Spaces and Spatiotemporal Equality

This paper will explore the concept of the “night mayor” and nighttime governance structures by tracing their development, reviewing a number of examples, situating the concept within the concept of spatiotemporal equality and marginalization as well as within international guiding documents for equitable and sustainable urban development that require cities to think through their management of the night and its spaces and activities. Finally, this paper will also center the discussion on the experience of Vancouver, Canada as it begins to implement its newly adopted cultural plan for the city, begins to respond to existing challenges for the existence of nighttime-coded art, culture, and community, as well as its ongoing exploration and interest in developing a role that captures the essence of what a night mayor brings to a city.