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Ralph Behouden keeps Breda awake! With a view of the tower of the Church of Our Lady, just a stone's throw from the city hall, we chatted with Ralph Behouden, the night mayor of Breda. Ralph Behouden is the second person to hold the title, after, among others, the hospitality industry in Breda, daily newspaper BN De Stem and Breda's tourist information office took the initiative of appointing a night mayor in Breda. 'The night mayor focuses on everything that revolves around nightlife and the hospitality industry, but also on events which take place during the day', says Ralph. Motivation However, the work goes beyond merely promoting nightlife. For example, Ralph's door is always open for hospitality entrepreneurs who wish to talk about difficulties they may be experiencing, or who would like to brainstorm in search of opportunities and possibilities. He likes thinking along with them, and more and more entrepreneurs are dropping by these days. 'I know the hospitality industry well and the people who work there also know me. Before I became the night mayor, I thought I knew every little corner of the city, but in fact I am finding out new things all the time. And then I share my new discoveries with others. For example, it's great to bring a less well-known festival to the attention of a wider audience. I have a very broad horizon, which is extremely important. Breda is a fantastic city to live and work in, and it's great for a fun night out as well. I'm really passionate about my city. And now I can give something back, by helping people discover and enjoy even more aspects of the city.' Facebook followers 'I really do try to keep up with the Breda nightlife on a weekly basis. And I share as much of this information as possible.' Although he draws inspiration from real life, Ralph also embraces modern technology. Facebook is an important tool. 'I collect input about events, concerts and festivals and the like and then I share this information on Facebook. I still don't get enough input from the cultural sector itself. And that's a real shame, because I would be very open to it. There should be a closer link between the hospitality industry and culture. I share information all through the week, and towards the weekend I give my weekend tips. I gained over 7,000 followers in one year, and these days it doesn't take long for my posts to reach a few hundred thousand people.' Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed There are no job descriptions or objectives for the role. Ralph is given plenty of freedom. 'Nothing is compulsory for the night mayor, but I do like to spread positivity and show that the hospitality industry is fun for people of all ages. I get really great reactions from the city, but I never sit back and rest on my laurels. I don't have any clearly defined plans, but I would like to get the other hubs and squares in the city more involved in the scene, inspire more visitors from outside the city, do more with culture and organise more things myself. You know, I am really putting my heart and soul into this role. And that gives me the energy to start each day all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.' Filmmaker, night mayor and DJ 'For me, everything merges together: my work, my personal life and going out. My own company takes priority. I'm a partner at Dutch Visuals. We make films for large companies and major brands in the Netherlands. However, being night mayor is in joint first place. During the day, I mainly work for my company, but I can always make the odd phone call here and there. On the other hand, I can also work for my company at night, but the evenings and weekends are mainly dominated by Breda and my work as a DJ. All that creativity is really exciting.' fb.me/NachtburgemeesterBreda 19