Vienna After Dark

Mathieu Grondin

he/him

Nightlife Commissioner

Ottawa, Canada

Born and raised in Montreal, Mathieu Grondin has enjoyed a varied career in creative industries and economic development. At the age of five, Mathieu began a 20-year acting career in television, film and theatre.

Mathieu completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University in 2004, specializing in film production. He worked for 15 years as a director and editor of music videos for artists including Céline Dion, Mes Aïeux, and Radio Radio and for commercial clients including Ford, McDonald’s, and Bell. He also directed a short film which won the critics' prize at the Rendez-vous du Cinéma québécois in 2006.

In 2017, Mathieu founded MTL 24/24, an organization that supports nightlife development in Montreal. The organization's main objectives are to destigmatize nightlife activities, enable a dialogue between nightlife stakeholders, the community, municipal authorities and elected officials, and enhance economic prosperity by promoting nightlife culture, experiences and attractions.

In 2020, MTL 24/24 established the Night Council, a consultation table for Montreal night owls. Mathieu led the publication of two significant studies that informed the ongoing development of the City of Montreal’s nightlife policy: Montreal, 24-hour City (2021), an economic impact study, and Creative Footprint Montreal (2022), an international analysis of the cultural impact of local venues. In 2021, Mathieu launched MTL au Sommet de la nuit, a global forum dedicated to nighttime governance. Between 2021 and 2023, the annual event attracted more than 600 people, including speakers from more than 30 cities worldwide. The objective of the summit is to identify best practices for managing urban nighttime activities and propose solutions to challenging issues. Under his direction, MTL 24/24 also pioneered 24-hour licensing for cultural events in Montreal. Their pilot-projects NON STOP helped normalize late night dancing and alcohol licensing and inspired the City of Montreal to introduce a "24-hour zone" downtown.

Mathieu has been a featured presenter at several international conferences for prestigious organizations such as UN-Habitat (World Urban Forum Katowice, 2022), the German Center for Research and Innovation (SXSW, 2023), and the Government of New South Wales (Sydney OPEN Forum, 2023). He is widely recognized as a global leader in nightlife advocacy.

In June 2024, Mathieu was appointed Nightlife Commissioner for the Coty of Ottawa, thus becoming Canada's first "Night Mayor".

Music has always been a passion for Mathieu. Like his late father, Denis Grondin (1950-2017), pioneer and host of Montreal FM radio, Mathieu is also a deejay. He began deejaying electronic music at sixteen and still performs today in his free time under the name Grondini. He is also the brother of well-known Quebec actor Marc-André Grondin.

Thursday, 14.11.

Friday, 15.11.