Brian Block

President, Sound City Planning, Austin (U.S.A.) and Board Treasurer, Nighttime Economy Culture and Policy Alliance (NITECAP).

OCTOBER 7-8, 2026

Schedule

President, Sound City Planning, Austin (USA) and
Board Treasurer, Nighttime Economy Culture and Policy Alliance (NITECAP)

Brian Block is a nighttime economy management expert with 25 years of experience in city government, specializing in planning, placemaking, live music, and entertainment. As the founder of Sound City Planning, Brian consults with municipalities to craft practical and balanced solutions for sound management, entertainment districts, and urban nightlife. For nearly a decade, Brian has served as the inaugural Nightlife and Entertainment Manager for the City of Austin where he has shaped Austin’s best-in-class sound management program and champions nighttime economy vibrancy and management. Brian is the founding President and current board member of the Nighttime Economy Culture & Policy Alliance (NITECAP), a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing nighttime management in the US.

Speakers

Mathieu Grondin

Canada’s first Nightlife Commissioner,
City of Ottawa’s Nightlife Office (ON)

Ariel Palitz

Founding Director, New York City Mayor’s Office of Nightlife | Nighttime Governance & Hospitality Advisor, All Hours NYC

Andreina Seijas

Founder, Night Tank, expert in nighttime urban governance (ES)

Will Straw

James McGill Emeritus Professor of Urban Media Studies, McGill University (QC)

Shulie Smolyanitsky

Operations & Education Manager, Wavelength Music (TO)

Marc-André Robertson

Co Founder, HocheLab (QC)

Jon Weisz

Founder & Executive Director, Les SMAQ (QC)

Brian Block

President, Sound City Planning, Austin (USA) and Board Treasurer, Nighttime Economy Culture and Policy Alliance (NITECAP)

Farid Dagher

Founder, CITY AT NIGHT, ANNX & GRIDWRKS (ON)

Corey Poole

Music Sector Development Coordinator, City of Mississauga (ON)

Cathy Wong

Borough Mayor, Le Plateau-Mont-Royal, City of Montreal (QC)

Romain Dumoulin

Acoustician and Project Director, WSP Canada (QC)

Melanie Brulée

Executive Director, Ottawa Music Industry Coalition (ON)

Jean-François Ouellet

Professor of entrepreneurship and innovation, HEC Montréal (QC)

Erin Benjamin

Executive Vice President, Advocacy and Strategy, Ottawa Board of Trade (ON)

Veronica Farmer

Chief Marketing Officer, Wesley Clover International (ON)

Xavier Roy

Senior Vice President, Membership Engagement and Advancement, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Nate Sabine

Director of Business Development, Blueprint (BC)

Marie-Pier Tessier De L’Étoile

Co Founder and General Director, Aire Commune (QC)

Kelleagh Alexander

Director of Experience Development, Ottawa Tourism (ON)

Sarah Hill

Senior Project Manager, Culture Business Development, City of Hamilton (ON)

Sarah Jarvis

Community Engagement, Destination Toronto (ON)

Chetna Misra

Founder & Principal, Lightbahn

Cory Crossman

Music Industry Development Officer, London Creative City of Music Focus (ON)

Barbara Filion

Program Officer for Culture, Canadian Commission for UNESCO

Anthea Foyer

Sector Development Officer, City of Toronto (ON)

Jenn Goodwin

Focal Point, Kelowna City of Gastronomy (BC)

Celia Benhocine

Policy Analyst, OECD

Annabelle Cloutier

President & CEO, National Arts Centre

Anna Rubin

Manager of the OECD Global Forum on Local Development Comment end

Tashiina Buswa

Artist & Nonprofit Professional, (QC)

Chrissy Dicks

Executive Director, Lawnya Vawnya Festival (NL)

Travis Van Wyck

Project Manager, Night Economy, City of Toronto (ON)

Megan Lynch

Senior Manager, Nordicity (ON)

Maude Théroux-Séguin

Borough Mayor of Ahuntsic-Cartierville & Associate Councillor for Citizen Engagement, Gastronomy and Nightlife, Ville de Montréal (QC)

Rachel Weldon

Director, Debaser (ON)

Jane Talbot

President and CEO, Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Area (Downtown Van) (BC)

Jacinthe De Guire

Design Commissioner, Design Montréal, City of Montréal (QC)

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter

Economic Development Officer, City of Ottawa

Laura Beeston

Canada After Dark Coordinator

Miranda Mulholland

Creative Culture Advisor for Music Canada

Dominique Lemieux

Executive Director, Institut canadien de Québec, Focal Point for Quebec Creative City of Literature (QC)

Get your tickets

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Location

National Arts Centre, Fourth Stage
1 Elgin Street, Ottawa Canada

Plan your visit

Make the most of your Canada After Dark experience with exclusive preferred rates from our official hotel partners, Alt Hotel Ottawa Downtown, Le Germain Hotel Ottawa, Arlo Hotel, Fairmont Chateau Laurier and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

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Le Germain Hotel Ottawa
Book your stay using promotional code C2060463 to access the preferred Canada After Dark rate.
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Book your stay using promotional code 2M5PS2K4 to access the preferred Canada After Dark rate.
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Fairmont Chateau Laurier
Book your stay at our newest official hotel partner and enjoy convenient access to Canada After Dark.
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Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa
Book your stay at our official hotel partner and enjoy convenient access to Canada After Dark.
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Room types, rates and availability may vary. We recommend booking early to secure your preferred accommodation and rate.

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Brian Block

Speakers

Mathieu Grondin

Ariel Palitz

Andreina Seijas

Will Straw

Shulie Smolyanitsky

Marc-André Robertson

Jon Weisz

Brian Block

Farid Dagher

Corey Poole

Cathy Wong

Romain Dumoulin

Melanie Brulée

Jean-François Ouellet

Erin Benjamin

Veronica Farmer

Xavier Roy

Nate Sabine

Marie-Pier Tessier De L’Étoile

Kelleagh Alexander

Sarah Hill

Sarah Jarvis

Chetna Misra

Cory Crossman

Barbara Filion

Anthea Foyer

Jenn Goodwin

Celia Benhocine

Annabelle Cloutier

Anna Rubin

Tashiina Buswa

Chrissy Dicks

Travis Van Wyck

Megan Lynch

Maude Théroux-Séguin

Rachel Weldon

Jane Talbot

Jacinthe De Guire

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter

Laura Beeston

Miranda Mulholland

Dominique Lemieux

Get your tickets

Get your tickets

Location

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