Mark Adam Harold

Mark Adam Harold is a British-born music industry and nightlife expert based in Vilnius, Lithuania. He has wide experience in the private, non-profit and government sectors and has led the design, management and communication of several projects for the benefit of musicians and the development of the nightlife sector.

Mark began his career in the music industry in London in the nineties, sitting in the basement studio of psychedelic electronic rock band Death in Vegas, animating skulls on a pink iMac. As a freelancer he completed several web design, video and illustration projects promoting performers and events in the music industry.

In 2004 Mark discovered Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, and he decided to emigrate. He organised some of the city’s biggest parties, built the country’s first music streaming service, launched a DJ mix into space, founded an NGO to help Lithuanian musicians develop their careers internationally and curated the government’s Spotify account.

In 2015 Mark was elected to the City Council of Vilnius after a controversial campaign focusing on human rights and nightlife. He gained enough votes to move ten places up the list and secure a seat, becoming the first non-citizen ever to swear to defend the Lithuanian Constitution. During his time in the Council he initiated the Municipality’s sexual harassment policy, campaigned for ethinic minorities, stood up against hatespeech, marched for LGBT equality, secured premises for a childrens’ charity and convinced the city to set up a 24-hour drugs harm reduction centre.

In 2018 Mark became known as the first Night Mayor of Vilnius and after leaving the Council in 2019 he founded Vilnius Night Alliance, a pressure group advocating for better nightlife regulation and development. Mark’s advice has also helped the people of Tbilisi, Budapest, Montreal, Barcelona, Bradford, Timisoara, Brno and Dublin to regulate and develop their night economies. He has spoken in cities as far apart as Brussels, Berlin, Odessa and Kabul.

Mark advised several candidates in the municipality and parliamentary elections. They became Justice Minister and Chairs of the Night Economy Commission, Human Rights Committee, Addiction Prevention Commission and Disabled Persons’ Rights Commission. Mark was also hired permanently as an Adviser to Aušra Maldeikienė MEP and works for Matas Maldeikis MP and the Foreign Ministry of Lithuania as a political communications consultant.

Chair of Vilnius Night Alliance 2019 – present

Chair of Night Economy Association of Lithuania 2021 – present

Director of NGO Music eXport Fund 2015 – present

Adviser to MEP 2019 – present

Elected Vilnius City Councillor 2015 – 2019

Curator of Republic of Lithuania on Spotify 2018

Soundtrack for We Will Riot 2013

Recordbreaking soundsystem at Loftas 2011

Last Manager of Gravity club 2009 – 2010

First live show on StartFM 94.2 2005