Thys Boer

About Thys Boer

Thys Boer is the Night Mayor of Rotterdam and one of the most outspoken voices in the Netherlands regarding the value of the night. He sees the night not only as a time for relaxation and entertainment but primarily as a space for resistance, imagination, and connection. In 2023, his short story collection No Day Without Night was published, an ode to nightlife as a place where boundaries blur, new ideas emerge, and communities find each other.

As the chair of N8W8 R’dam, Thys advocates for a vibrant, inclusive, and accessible nightlife. N8W8 serves as an advisory body for creators, entrepreneurs, artists, and visitors of the Rotterdam night. Under his chairmanship, it has grown into a serious dialogue partner for the municipality, becoming an example of how activism and grassroots organization can lead to concrete policy. From demonstrations like Stand Up for the Night to policy advice on urban development: Thys demonstrates how the night deserves a rightful place in the urban agenda.

In addition to his work for N8W8, Thys is a lecturer in Leisure & Events at the Willem de Kooning Academy. In his classes, he explores with students the power of the night as a laboratory for creativity, innovation, and community building. The combination of practice, policy, and education makes him a versatile voice that connects different worlds.

The city? We create it together!

As a speaker, Thys is often invited to share his vision of the night, both in the Netherlands and internationally. He speaks about the social, cultural, and economic value of nightlife, the balance between freedom, safety, and livability, and the role of cities in creating space for experimentation and encounters. Rotterdam often serves as an example: a port city that continually reinvents itself at night, from underground music culture to international stages.

What distinguishes Thys is his ability to connect stories from the night to urgent societal issues. He shows that nightlife is not a marginal phenomenon but a domain where significant themes such as diversity, inclusivity, urban development, and economy become tangible. In doing so, he inspires policymakers, entrepreneurs, and the public to view the city differently: not only during the day but especially at night.

Through his work as Night Mayor, his role at N8W8, and his writing, Thys Boer has developed into a captivating and passionate advocate for the night – a time and space that he believes is essential for an open, creative, and resilient city.

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