Feb 16, 2023
Advocacy
Busking in London
Reams of red tape and a myriad of confusing rules could force talented buskers off London’s streets.
KEEP STREETS LIVE
Defending the soul of our cities by protecting the right to creative expression in public spaces.
"I love my work. I've met some of the greatest people in life through music."
— Jonny Walker
Our Advocacy Mission
We believe that the spontaneous use of public space for music, performance, and art is vital for the health of our societies. We challenge restrictive legislations and work with local authorities to foster vibrant, living streets where culture belongs to everyone.
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Jan 16, 2023
Advocacy
St. Albans consultation
We’ve been contacted by St. Albans to comment on proposals for a new code of conduct regarding busking.
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Follow @keep_streets_live for campaign updates, buskers we love and street culture from across the UK - and tag your posts with #KeepStreetsLive.
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Featured Campaign
Stop the Birmingham Busking Ban
Birmingham City Council proposed restrictions that would have severely curtailed busking in the city centre. Keep Streets Live supported the campaign against the ban.
Quick Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Busking is a spontaneous and informal performance of music or other art form where voluntary donations are invited from the public. These performances are not booked and are thus considered 'incidental' to other activities.
No. In the UK busking is not a licensed activity on the Public Highway. This is made clear in the 2003 Licencing Act Sections 15.62-15.64.
The only exceptions are the boroughs of Camden, Hillingdon, Westminster and Greenwich.
No. It has been established in UK law that busking is NOT begging as the performer offers 'value for money'.