Culture, sport and the night‐time economy

This article is concerned with three principal subjects: the place of sport in urban renewal, especially in working‐class and de‐industrialising zones of the city; its position in relation to other cultural forms, especially the potential breakdown of barriers between cultural forms; and the role of sport in the urban night‐time economy, in particular with regard to conceptions of creative, culturally active, 24‐hour cities. It considers international debates on these matters through a case study focus on the Australian city of Parramatta, which is part of the greater Sydney conurbation and has adopted an arts, culture and creativity‐led strategy of reinvention. Parramatta is a predominantly working‐class area with a strong sports presence, including a large stadium close to a developing cultural precinct and entertainment hub. This local case study addresses questions about sport, after‐dark culture and the night‐time economy, and the tensions within cultural planning between favoured and discounted modes of culture.