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.