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16 Focus Cities
There is a great deal of variation between the amount of regulation different cities impose on busking. There are also differences in how strictly that regulation is enforced.
In many cases there is a conflict of interest between policy makers and street performers when it comes to the policies adopted. As part of this research, we wanted to highlight the perspective of buskers towards these policies and refer to the difficulties that they face in some cases.
The following sixteen reports on key focus cities illustrate many of the different regulatory approaches to busking. They assess how strictly the regulations are applied and contain feedback on the effects of the regulations from buskers in the featured cities.
The reports are listed alphabetically. First by country and then by city for those countries in which more than one city is featured. Each city is given a grade or score which is the combined value of the factors and regulations governing busking in that city.
In general, busking is considered legal in London but individual boroughs have a large degree of autonomy in their approach to street performers. We have featured the borough of Camden as well as Greater London because Camden’s regulatory system has recently become more restrictive.
Bratislava- City Centre, Slovakia
Grade: 0 – Ranking 9th — No specific busking-related strategy.
— Busking is legal.
— There is a licence. The fee for the licence is determined by how much public space the performer takes up and is charged at 1€ per m2. This licence is compulsory if someone wants to perform for more than seven days per year.
— Amplification is allowed only in specific areas, as is specific equipment such as fire or drums.
— Music is not at all allowed in Hviezdoslavovo Square.
— Busking seems to be considered more like a begging rather than art (according to local busker).
— The city’s authorities seem reluctant to issue permits. According to local reports, they have, at times, actively prevented certain artists from being given permits.
— There is an increase in buskers performing (according to local busker).
— Bratislava is hosting the Bratislava Street Art Festival.
— Police enforcement seems to be relaxed (according to local busker).
— Busking does not seem to be promoted and supported by the authorities.
— The current policy seems to be discouraging for buskers (according to local busker and our evaluation so far).