Through its easy accessibility, nightlife culture encourages cultural participation of the general population, whether in the form of active cultural contributions (e.g. as a light artist) or simply as a passive observer enjoying the night. However, within the wider public opinion – and especially in politics – nightlife is rarely thought of as being cultural. Here the gap between high-culture (such as theater and opera) and pop-culture (as portrayed by nightlife) becomes evident. Despite often being described as “apolitical”, experience shows that the integration and exchange of music and dance can play an important role in spreading political issues to a wider audience. The main topics of “Nightlife Culture” for 2017 are: party & free spaces, integration & exclusion, queer culture, party politics, night lobby and rave diplomacy.