Busking

Street Activity Policy 2011

Definition of busking
A busker is considered to be an entertainer who is actively providing a performance in
the public place in exchange for a donation. Busking is defined as sounding or playing
a musical instrument, singing, giving a recitation or performing, conjuring, juggling,
puppetry, miming, dancing, entertaining or doing any of these things concurrently.
Busking also includes the activity of drawing any message, picture or representation
on a pavement, paper or canvas surface.

Busking Permit types

1. General Area busking applies to buskers who do not use any dangerous goods in
their performance and may generally busk anywhere in the municipality except for the
Bourke Street Mall, designated Circle Act sites and other restricted areas as specified.
2. Bourke Street Mall busking applies to professional buskers who perform in the
Bourke Street Mall.
3. Pavement Art busking applies to artists who are actively engaged in an artistic
medium such as chalk art or painting.
4. Circle Act with or without dangerous goods applies to performers who have a
structured performance that requires an audience to stop, watch and participate in a
performance.
General conditions applicable to all busking permits
All applicants must complete a written application form and pass a Safety, Amenity
and Performance Review (Review).
All buskers will be assessed against safety and amenity criteria.
Busking performance must be an act and defined in accordance with the definition
of busking under the Street Activity Policy and Busking Guidelines 2011.
Permits are generally issued for a 12 month term. A three month permit is also
available.
General area buskers are allowed to perform for a maximum of two hours per day at
each location. At the completion of the two hour maximum for that location, the
busker is required to move to another busking location (at least more than four
building frontages away).
Amplified busking at Flinders Street Station, Southern Cross Station, Southgate
Precinct (promenade only) and the City Square* is strictly not permitted (*Circle Act
Performances are exempt).
Busking is not permitted outside memorial/religious sites, hospitals, churches,
Government buildings, parks and gardens (except Birrarung Mar), against the
building line, and other designated no-go zones.

 Group acts are limited to four performers in General Area Busking areas, and larger
groups would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Amplified busking in permitted areas would be permitted only from 8am to 10pm
Sunday to Thursday, 8am to 11pm Friday and Saturday, and the eve of public
holidays.
Sound performances must be situated at least 30 metres away from another sound
performance.
Buskers are required to comply with all provisions set out in the Busking
Guidelines 2011 including the public interaction and etiquette requirements.
Additional conditions applicable to Bourke Street
Mall buskers:
Professional buskers are eligible to apply to busk in the Bourke Street Mall.
A professional busker is a performer who busks as their main source of income, has
a repertoire that would enable them to perform for at least 30 minutes without
repeating a song, and has a website, YouTube, Facebook or other profile.
To qualify for a Bourke Street Mall permit, the applicant must have held a general
area busking permit for a minimum of 6 months.
Bourke Street Mall Buskers must pass a Safety, Amenity and Performance Review
(includes audition) which involves the assessment of qualitative selection criteria, i.e.
performance, proficiency, uniqueness, professionalism.
A member of the busking community will be included on the audition assessment
panel.
Sites are allocated on a weekly basis by a Bourke Street Mall busking representative
in the presence of all Bourke Street Mall buskers via a ballot draw system to ensure
equity and diversity of performances in the Bourke Street Mall.
Bourke Street Mall buskers are permitted to perform for 30 minutes with a 30
minute break for the duration of the day in the site allocated via the draw.
Group Acts consisting of no more than five members are permitted in the Bourke
Street Mall subject to specific conditions.
Groups larger than five would be assessed on a case-by-case basis for the Bourke
Street Mall.
Bourke Street Mall performances are permitted in specific locations in Bourke Street
Mall as outlined in the Busking Guidelines 2011.
Additional conditions applicable to Circle Act performers
A peer assessor will be involved in the safety assessment of circle act performers.
Circle act buskers are not subject to qualitative assessment on application (i.e. no
audition).
Sites and pitch times are allocated via a draw system and queue system to ensure
equity and diversity of performances.
Specific safety requirements apply for acts involving dangerous goods (flammable
liquids, dangerous objects, etc).
Circle act performances are only permitted in locations designated to accommodate
large crowds (set out in Busking Guidelines 2011).
Circle Act performers who use dangerous goods or perform dangerous acts must
have current Public Liability Insurance cover.

Additional conditions applicable to pavement art buskers

Chalk artists are permitted to remain in one location for a day.
Portrait and other pavement artists may remain in the same location for a 4 hour
period and then must move to a new location at least 4 building frontages away.
Pavement art buskers will not be assessed against qualitative criteria (i.e. no
audition).
Pavement art busking locations are generally permitted in locations as outlined in
the Busking Guidelines 2011.
Permit fees
application fee $20 per annum
re-application fee $10 per annum
temporary permit (3 month duration) $10
A fee of $50 per year applies if a busker wishes to sell their own work (e.g. CDs) in
association with busking performance.
For more information or details of all terms and conditions, please visit
melbourne.vic.gov.au or call 03 9658 9658 email busking@melbourne.vic.gov.au
or refer to the Busking Guidelines 2011.