Amsterdam Dance Event and VibeLab are launching the Nighttime Culture Index (NCI), a new global measure of nighttime cultural vitality, presented during the 30th edition of ADE, taking place from Wednesday October 21 to Sunday October 25, 2026.

The economic weight of nightlife is already well documented: the global nighttime economy accounts for around 3% of global GDP, generates US$3-4 trillion each year and employs one in ten people. What has been missing, however, is an equivalent tool to measure its cultural value. The NCI aims to fill this gap: it is not an economic impact study, but a measure of cultural vitality, delivered through a public interactive dashboard accompanied by an annual report.

The first edition covers Amsterdam, Lagos, New York, São Paulo, Seoul and Sydney, assessed across six dimensions, from diversity to sustainability. The goal is to provide shared evidence for scenes, industry and city leaders to understand, strengthen and protect nighttime culture.

Further information and ADE tickets are available on ADE official website.

featured image: Enrique Meesters