Nocturnal City: The State of London Club Life is a series of events throughout 2017 exploring the state of London’s nightlife and its influence in pushing the boundaries of culture.

The first edition interrogates the interplay between London and Berlin nightlife with an evening of installations, panel talks and performances.

The line-up features artists and professionals from both cities, including:
London Night Czar Amy Lamé and Berlin Clubcommission
Musicians Laurel Halo and Beatrice Dillon
Artists Lawrence Lek and LaTurbo Avedon
Berlin Community Radio
and more TBA.

Berlin’s Berghain nightclub recently received the same tax status as the city’s concert halls in recognition of its contribution to culture. Yet in London, nearly half of its nightclubs have closed in the last ten years. With rents spiralling in the capital, more and more London artists and DJs are decamping to Berlin each year, contributing to an ever more international and vibrant cultural landscape.

A series of conversations includes recently-appointed London Night Tsar Amy Lamé in discussion with the Clubcommission Berlin, the industry association for Berlin clubs, to share ideas on the development and safe guarding of club culture. Berlin Community Radio will participate on the rise of independent online platforms and their roles in distilling new forms of music and culture emerging from the cities into a global audience.

The evening continues with a series of DJ performances including a special dance set by Berlin-based electronic artist Laurel Halo, alongside London producer, musician and NTS DJ Beatrice Dillon. Throughout the event, audiences can take a virtual reality tour of LaTurbo Avedon’s virtual nightclub Club Rothko and enjoy Lawrence Lek’s Berlin Mirror, which presents a simulation of a Berlin institution and its fictional exhibition in 2042.

Curated by Studio resident Estela Oliva in collaboration with Somerset House Studios. Supported by Goethe Institut London.

Image credit: Laurel Halo