(SAN JOSE) The Tico Times - Costa Rica's national newspaper - reports that skaters will no longer be legal in public transit in and around San José. Neither will walking between cars be tolerated. In an effort to refine the law, street-performers reacted with a large protest by marching down 2nd Street to Parque Nacional located near the Legislative Assembly building in the nation's capital. Why? Because some of the best busker acts at the parques involve skating and skateboards. The new law would thusly deprive them from making a living.

Zoobie, an editor at Busker Central, has actually busked Parque Central in downtown San José. Back in the day, it was a nice sunny venue aside from the vendors mostly selling fruits, vegetables, and artwork. People were appreciative and generous on market days. But segregating s...

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(LONDON) A lot of cities have their individual busking requirements to satisfy city hall. However, it seems London's busking code is more complete than others and could be used as a benchmark for general busking.City Hall said the rules, which cover where to busk, avoids complaints, money collection, and resolving problems. It's aim is to make busking and street performance easier for everyone.

"Busking adds to the capital’s joie de vivre but in spite of its popularity buskers have sometimes encountered problems when plying their trade. Some have even been put off.

Working with our partners, we are putting a scythe through the acres of unnecessary bureaucracy to make it easier to entertain on our city’s streets.

We want to make London the busking capital of the world.”

Click the link ...

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(from the You've got-to-be-kidding-me Department)
One of the themes of 2009 was that collection societies around the world went nuts trying to charge for anything they possibly could while also trying to increase the rates they could charge. Even banks went wild with their hidden charges.

Remember how one collection society wanted to charge a woman because she put on music in public for her horses? Or how about the woman who worked in a grocery store who was told to stop singing while stocking the shelves or the store would have to pay a performance fee? And, of course, we had ASCAP trying to claim that ringtones were public performances, and mobile operators needed to pay up -- beyond the license fee that was already paid on the recording.

SOCAN, the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada, has been no exception pushing for drastically increased rates...

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(SANTA FE) It was less than six years ago when busking was illegal in Santa Fe, New Mexico.Today, business is booming for street-performers. Many talents can be found in downtown Santa Fe these days. Buskers are now allowed to perform between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. On Fridays and Saturdays, they are allowed to perform until 1 a.m.

Full story and video

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COLUMBIA TO SET HAT OUT FOR BUSKERS

(COLUMBIA, S. CAROLINA) Columbia has come a long way in just the past two months rewriting their busking ordinances for all to enjoy.

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Orlando homeless wanna-be busker Vincent Tarazavich has been prevented by city laws from playing for tips on the streets of Orlando.

It seems that Vincent might be getting his big break, as soon as tonight, possibly. Bob Snow, the man who created Church Street Station back in the day, called me this morning. He's willing to give Vincent a spot in front of the newly reopened Cheyenne Saloon on Church Street.

"We'll throw $20 in the case and get him started," Snow told me. "He can start tonight, if he wants to."

Vincent will be holding his sign for the electronics store this afternoon, so it's not clear if he'll be able to connect with Snow. If he does, though, it would be a happy ending.

Snow told me he was involved in discussions with the city about 10 years ago about setting up a system for busking permits that would have included auditions before a committee...

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