BUSKERS FEAR: IT TURNS DIFFICULT TO PERFORM IN THE STREETS OF LONDON

Wed, 12/05/2018

Among many issues felt by current societies around the world, there are a few that sounds unbelievable. One in particular stood out this week in the UK, particularly in London. Busking, or street performing, will be judged like an illegal act by several London Councils. According to the launch of new public space protection orders (PSPOs), street musicians will be held responsible for excessive noise and even receive £1000 fines.

Busking is a tradition for a long time, since medieval times, when minstrels and bards were the firsts buskers. Nowadays, it is recognized like an art expression which gives pleasure to people and changes public spaces. Moreover, it’s the main way for many people to make money and survive. There are artists in the bars and restaurants, but also in the streets. Public spaces are the scenes where they can show and share theirs talents.

Photo: Aron Van de Pol / Unsplash

On the other hand, the situation in London is worrying. It’s still not illegal to busk in the streets, but according to David Fisher, a street performer, councils are attempting to use their new powers to tell them where and how to do their job. Another important key to remember is the fact that two authorities have already adopted some measures. Since 2014, busking in Camden means that street artists need to have a license costing £19 without amplification and £47 with. Hillingdon council as well as Camden has restricted busking in four areas, where buskers are allowed to perform during two two-hour time slots during the day. Those exemples gives inspiration to other councils.

Outside of London

Although, busking in UK is still easy-friendly. Some cities like Cambridge and Liverpool are good examples. With the goal to regulate the activity, Cambridge City Council provides online a kind of code of practice. In terms more polites than his London partners, Cambridge explicite her vision about the subject.

“We don’t license busking, so anybody can set up and perform at any time. But in an attempt to minimise disturbance, we do ask buskers to adhere to a voluntary code of practice”.

Photo: Jacek Dylag / Unsplash

All buskers in Cambridge have a guide to busking to download. Before any formal action, it’s really easier to buskers have a conversation with authorities. To give another example, common sense also is the key in Liverpool. Lord Clement-Jones cited in an interview to the Guardian the “extensive and disproportionate use” of PSPOs across the country.

“Liverpool introduced a voluntary code of conduct that regulates the level of amplification, where buskers perform and how they approach people, and it worked perfectly well”.

To oppose all recent abuse of authority from London Councils, it’s clear that to ask people is a good idea. University of Westminster MusicTank survey of a thousand of residents in Covent Garden, Portobello Road, Trafalgar Square and others. The results were representatives with 86 percent of tourists and 84 percent of residents favoured busking.

Photo: Luca Micheli / Unsplash

More an issue

With all this in mind, it cannot be forgotten the financial side of this subject. To survive by busking around the world is a great challenge of the 21st century. In cashless times, it’s difficult to make money in the streets. People doesn’t have coins all the time to put in guitar cases. Be busker is understand that some habits have changed. So, why not to accept contactless payments?

Besides all worries about the increasingly prosecute to street musicians, for instance recent actions in London, buskers need to be creative and have patience. It’s a reflex from a modern society built by the capitalism the persecution of arts expressions and artists. Buskers don’t pay taxes in the majority of the cases. Busking really bothered anyone else, but who? All things considered, it’s time to encourage street musiciens and to find out new BB King, Tracy Chapman and KT Tunstall.

Nilo Vieira

Rédiger la légende…