Getting around the legal issues of street shows

Busking, more commonly referred to as street shows is a very old art that comes with several legal caveats.

Street shows is a very old way of making money with a creative skill. The art form takes shape with many different entertainment skills including painting, music, dance, clowning/mime, juggling, acrobatics and more. There are very few requirements that street performers require. They only ever need a place to perform and a bit of talent and gumption to actually go out there and perform in front of people.

The art of street shows is more widely seen in larger cities and metropolitan areas such as New York, New Orleans, San Francisco, Boston and Philadelphia. The most widely used city for street shows is New York as it has many artistic people, theatres and other creative avenues with a wide variety of performance locations like bus stops, parks and subways.

Throughout history rules have changed as have the attitudes surrounding the way street performers and performances are looked upon. Large cities consider street performers to be nothing more than panhandlers or beggars and they do not let them perform with much harassment and in many cases permits will have to be purchased and applied for. This greatly alters the spontaneity and variety of acts that may have otherwise performed. Doing this, however, creates exactly what the city was trying to avoid: beggars and panhandlers.

Opinions among those whom live in the cities vary. Most are very acceptable and enjoy the diversity while others have the same opinions as city officials. These street performers create a fun and free atmosphere for people on the street as well bring culture and diversity. The entertainers work hard and get no money for it. They do it for the love of performing.

Street shows does carry with it some legal issues. Most states want you to collect sales or get a permit. Street performers want to perform. Collecting a couple cents here or there so they can get something to drink or eat isn’t even remotely fair to make them spend $200 and up for vendor licenses. There are ways to avoid this from the local authorities:

Ask for permission before performing. You are no longer “forcing” a performance which can be construed as seeking money.

- Have a button or a sign that says that tips are accepted, but are not a requirement. Your performance is free, it’s their choice if they want to give out the cash.

- if you have a product with you – like balloons – don’t ask for money. You can give the product out to anyone that you choose.

- Do not perform in front of businesses, especially those that are pay to enter like clubs. Instead perform to the side, away from the main entrances and, if possible, ask permission from the manager or owner and maybe you can get inside the building.

- Keep in mind that if you’re working on the street for free and not selling a thing you are, in fact, protected under the “Freedom of Speech” clause in the bill of rights.

- Street shows is a wonderful way to get your face out to people and bring your culture to the masses. Protect yourself from fine and legal matters and support other performers because they are in the same boat as you.

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