The leading industry body for the UK’s night time economy has announced the fifth international Night Time Economy Summit will take place in Birmingham on Wednesday 5 - Thursday 6 February 2025.

Up to 4,000 attendees from across arts, culture, hospitality, media, music, NTE, and politics are expected to attend the major event organised by the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) at leading city venue Hockley Social Club, including representatives from across Europe, Japan, the U.S., Canada, South America, and Australia.

The summit, delivered in partnership with ACS, Defected, Earth Percent, GigPig, Hospital Records, Institute of Hospitality, She.Said.So, Skiddle, VibeLab, and West Midlands Combined Authority amongst others, will explore key themes including queer spaces, sustainability, place making, well-being, security, live and electronic music.

Hockley Social Club, the Birmingham venue which will welcome international delegates for the Night Time Economy Summit in February 2025, has seen over 70,000 people pass through its doors in the first half of 2024, serving 23,000 meals and pulling 160,000 pints - 33,000 of which were beer produced by local breweries.

The 10,000-square foot venu- supports around 100 local jobs, works with 15 Midlands suppliers including cleaning, electricians, IT, and security companies, and operates with 14 Midlands bands and 40 DJs on rotation.

Hockley Social Club's commitment to offering accessible and diverse cultural experiences, presenting performances spanning ballet, comedy, and live podcasts, alongside classical, hip-hop, electronic, reggae, and soul shows and DJ sets, sits along an award-winning street food offer and community engagement.

Drawing on the experience of delivering thousands of events in Birmingham and across the Midlands over 12 years via the acclaimed Digbeth Dining Club brand, the team of dedicated food, culture, drink, and hospitality professionals are now based at their permanent home in the city’s historic Jewellery Quarter.

The host region of the West Midlands is renowned for its role in shaping bhangra; grindcore and metal; punk and rock; reggae and ska; retrofuturism; techno, jungle, and drum and bass, generates tens of millions in music tourism annually, boasts nine Michelin stars and supports over 200,000 jobs in hospitality and NTE.

Lyle Bignon, Night Time Economy Ambassador for Birmingham working on behalf of the Night Time Industries Association, said: “The role of Birmingham and the West Midlands in the UK’s arts, culture, hospitality, music, and NTE offer - both to domestic and international markets - has long been underplayed.

“In recent years, the self-deprecating Birmingham character has given way to a new-found civic and cultural pride across our region, driven by creativity, community and innovation.

“Nowhere is this more evident than in our Night Time Economy, home to some of the most exciting and pioneering businesses and leaders in Europe.

“We look forward to welcoming professionals from across the world to our city, and showing off the people and places who make the West Midlands a truly dynamic NTE destination.”

The full programme for the Night Time Economy Summit and venue will be released over the coming months, with speakers and panellists approaching a huge range of topics from politics, business, new government, comedy, diversity, harm reduction, drug testing, electronic and live music, safeguarding, women's safety, health, well-being, access to funding, grassroots music, peacemaking, events and festivals, security, cinema, gambling, licensing and planning, supply chain energy, cost of living crisis, reports, research, technology, mental health, and more.

The Night Time Economy Summit 2025 will take place at Hockley Social Club in Birmingham between Wednesday 5 - Friday 7 February 2025. Registration via nighttimeeconomysummit.com