(MINNESOTA) The fair city of Minneapolis is now paying buskers and street performers to add culture to the downtown area.Thanks to the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID), streets will be more vibrant as the city encourages entertainers rather than shooing them away.

The DID Street Show pays performers $50 an hour (more if you have a duo or trio act) in addition to whatever they make in tips.

The downtown organization felt that the busking scene could get a boost by offering entertainers a guaranteed payment.

In Minneapolis, busking is legal as long as performers are on public property, don’t obstruct traffic and don’t violate noise ordinances.

But even a great artist can be met with indifference when trying to coax hurried pedestrians to stop, listen and open their wallets.

For more information on ...

[ Continued ]

(BUSKER CENTRAL) Most buskers are past coming of age and well into their mid-life when they begin to ponder their future. Although the oldest busker was 70+ years old, he had other sidelines such as children's and company parties to see him through. We don't want to think about it but need to ponder this same question. What will you be doing after your busking career has ended?It may seem scary now to think of such matters but just imagine how scary it would be if you hadn't made plans for your senior years. Many have continued their performances by going to the private and commercial sectors. Magicians and clowns are easily able to make this transition. But what about, for example, jugglers and musicians? Will they be able to do the same?

Fortunately, there are many new approaches to said problem...

[ Continued ]

(DENVER) What was once America's largest busker festival has risen from the ashes to entertain and educate the masses. Recently renovated, Union Station is the historic main railway station and central transportation hub built in 1894. It boasts an eclectic array of the city's top restaurants, bars, and shops in addition to The Crawford Hotel.As tourists got off the trains, they were greeted with buskers and street performers mid-act. Energy flowed between the streets, sidewalks, stations and parks creating a place where people naturally gravitated, connected, and wanted to be.

Jugglers, stilt-walkers, hula-hoopers, pole-climbers, fire-twirlers, oriental drummers, guitarists and more were among the chosen to represent this version of Denver's famed buskerfest.

Coverage by Busker Central reporters...

[ Continued ]

(ASPEN) Let us take a Summer stroll up to Aspen and see how the buskers are faring.In this sleepy little hamlet high above the madding crowds lies four downtown city blocks and the high-end shopping district. Within the red bricked lanes are planters, evergreens, grass, trees, and benches. Classic streetlamps light the way and no cars are allowed. The style was influenced by Boulder and it's mall on Pearl Street.

In Aspen (or "Hollyweed" as the locals call it), you can find many buskers plying their art. Why, you may even run into a "moobie star" out shopping at any given time. The famous four ski lifts long quiet, people are finding Colorado in the Summertime rather interesting, fun, and something out of the ordinary.

A Busker Central News reporter busked Aspen a while back. "As...

[ Continued ]

There used to be a time when no self-respecting musician would ever bow to corporate pressure and allow their songs to be used to advertise products.

Those days are definitely over, and never more so with the news that Coca-Cola is looking at "incentivising" buskers on the London Underground to include its Holidays Are Coming jingle in their repertoire over the festive period.

Full Story