Covid Nights: Crisis, and Street-level Institutions in Montreal and Beyond

Abstract

It is within a context of crisis, work and scene culture that this text takes an entry point to address ongoing challenges EDM scenes face in Montreal, Quebec. Particular attention is paid to the city’s politics of the night and some of its street-level institutions and venues including Never Apart (NVA), an EDM-focused LGBTQ+ non-profit organization. Giving attention to street-level institutions is especially pressing right now as many cities attempt to rearticulate the tenuous futures of their nighttime cultures. As discussions develop beyond the pandemic, it is vital that a broad range of sustainable cultural expressions are brought to the fore, including EDM events and parties. Local initiatives, along with more robust and equitable systems of exchange and patronage at a cultural level, provide some of the best options for imagining a post-pandemic future for EDM scenes. © 2021 Dancecult http://dj.dancecult.net .org.