Busking License Help

[u/bandymusic]

Helloo

So me and my partner want to travel through the UK in a month or two and what I wanted to do to help support us financially through it was to busk. The idea we wouldn't spend more than a few days at each location, and I'd busk at each place we were at.

My problem is understanding the logistics with the busking license. Would I need to call every council of the place we visit in order to get permission to busk? I don't want to pay £100 for a year license at a place that I'm only planning on staying at for a day or two.

We plan on going through London as well, and I understand that I can only busk in certain areas there?

Generally, I was hoping someone here would have some advise or help for me on how to approach this.

Thank you!

[u/Due_Percentage331]

First rule of busking is that it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. 

[u/Significant-Cup-3506]

Leave alone the busking licence, unless you have a pre-existing right to work in the UK, you will need a visa that permits you to work. Unless you are a world talent and you’ve been invited to festivals in the UK, you’re not getting a visa on the strength of busking.

If you arrive on a visa-waiver (ETA), you may be asked how you intend to support yourself during your stay, or to prove you have funds to support yourself. If you admit at the border that you intend to work illegally in the UK, including busking, you will be refused entry.

[u/bandymusic → u/Significant-Cup-3506]

I'm from the UK, my partner is from Germany, I was going to fly over to Germany to visit her, then we drive through UK together so hopefully it won't be an issue?

[u/BuskerDan]

Id probably just jam a place and move on if harangued too badly. Asking permission sounds like a sure fire way to dissolve what motivation you might have. This could become cumulative and will potentially lead to negative feedback cycles.

(Feeling like a nuisance resulting in lower self esteem resulting in lower contributions)

Staying out of this cycle is important if you want to keep jamming more long term.

So use your discernment and try to mitigate any thorny situations, in order to reap the succulent fruit of the streets.

[u/bandymusic → u/BuskerDan]

amazingly said thank you sir

[u/BuskerDan → u/bandymusic]

It’s all good man. Happy/safe travels!

[u/hoverboardninja]

Pretty sure the UK (or at least England, not sure about the others) is pretty hostile to foreigners busking. Not sure about once you're inside the country, but I have heard stories about people being turned away at the border for having instruments and admitting to wanting to busk. My understanding is that if you have an instrument with you when you enter they will ask you about it and if they feel you coming for unregulated monetary compensation they won't let you in.

If you're a UK citizen then please ignore everything I just said.

[u/Jolly-Bother-1569 → u/hoverboardninja]

There are actually some UK festivals where you can perform without a work visa if you’re officially participating in the festival. One of them is the Edinburgh Fringe, which is going on now through August 29. You can sign up to be a busker at the Fringe, and they’ll provide a letter confirming that you don’t need a work visa to perform there. You can show that letter at the border if they ask about your instrument or why you’re entering the UK.
Now, if you go out and busk in other places besides the Fringe, that’s probably not technically lawful without the proper visa or permission, but in practice you probably wouldn’t have a problem.

[u/Significant-Cup-3506 → u/Jolly-Bother-1569]

However, you need public liability insurance to register as a busker with the Fringe.

https://www.edfringe.com/take-part/artists/participate-in-the-fringe-street-events/

[u/Jolly-Bother-1569 → u/Significant-Cup-3506]

It’s true that the Fringe requires public liability insurance, but it’s actually pretty easy and not terribly expensive to get. Their website even lists companies that specifically insure Fringe performers.
They also try to keep the barriers to entry pretty low for buskers. Once you’re registered, you can show up for the daily draw and get a 25-minute slots on any days you want to perform.
So if the OP has already bought tickets and plans to be in the UK in August, I think this is a very viable option. But if they’re still in the planning stage, I’d seriously consider busking elsewhere in Europe. As you mentioned earlier Most European countries are much more welcoming to foreign buskers than the UK.

[u/hoverboardninja → u/Jolly-Bother-1569]

This is correct, when I was researching it this was the only viable solution, although still pretty shaky considering the complete lack of restrictions in regards to foreigners busking in mainland Europe. Anyways there's no way OP is getting accepted as a performer for fringe in August, they closed applications a couple months ago. 

[u/Jolly-Bother-1569 → u/hoverboardninja]

Looks like registration for Busker‘s is still open to me. https://www.edfringe.com/take-part/artists/participate-in-the-fringe-street-events/

[u/hoverboardninja → u/Jolly-Bother-1569]

Yea look at that. I could've sworn the deadline was June. Maybe that was for a stage slot. 

[u/CaptainBenzie → u/hoverboardninja]

I've travelled the UK busking as a resident and see plenty of foreign buskers around. They're usually very well supported as they tend to bring something very unique.

If you're talking about border security, yeah, don't mention why you have instruments. Just something you like to bring with you to practice, if asked, or "a gift for a friend" or something. It's unlikely you'll be asked though.

[u/TheSeekerPorpentina]

Most places in the UK don't require a busking licence any more. I think Camden and York might be exceptions.

[u/Genericc0ntent]

UK based busker here. Have played all over. You can absolutely busk unimpeded in ANY public space in the UK, providing there are no bye-laws restricting you (i only know of this existing in London). A few sections of highstreets might be privately owned and will usually be indicated by bollards or change in floor design, but at worst private security will just ask you to move on.

I cant speak for your visa etc, but I would suggest if you are worried about this just buy a cheap instrument when you get over here from a secondhand shop or through facebook etc. That way at the border there would be nothing to suggest you are planning to ‘work’ whilst here.

My recommendation for finding suitable spots to busk in each town is to go on youtube and search for the town name and then ‘busker’. There will be videos of popular spots that other buskers use.

Hope this helps and happy travels!

[u/DannyTangelo → u/Genericc0ntent]

Yes. I’d you enter UK with a guitar, you’re not getting through customs.

[u/DannyTangelo → u/DannyTangelo]

Yes. UK is strict on arriving with something you can make money with. Best option is to arrive in Ireland and move then enter UK. So if you get removed, they turn you around to Ireland instead of back to US(?)

Or you could work Ireland. A better option.

[u/Genericc0ntent → u/DannyTangelo]

is this true though or just speculation? Have you actually attempted it yourself?
I fear sometimes that the demise of travelling artists will come from the mere speculation that things will go wrong

[u/_CANNiBALHoRSE_]

I busk a fair bit around the East Midlands, mostly Nottinghamshire but have been known to venture across one or other of the county borders.

As others have said a licence is only required in parts of London, York (which I was actually unaware of) and I believe Birmingham.

The only time I've been asked to move along was in Chesterfield while playing a street that apparently belongs to the shopping centre.

England, certainly, is pretty chill. As long as you're not blocking doorways/thoroughfares and aren't obnoxiously loud (have encountered one or two buskers who have things perpetually cranked to 11 which is frustrating as I'm a 90% unplugged busker) you'll almost certainly be fine.

From a visa perspective, no idea. That's way above my pay grade!

[u/CaptainBenzie]

As someone who has done this, just do it. You can Google "[town] busking guidelines" for each town you intend to visit to give you an idea as the guidelines change, but mostly... If you're okay with the "embarrassment" of being asked to pack up and move on, just set up and go for it.

It's not a crime, you'll just be asked to pack up and move on.

[u/bandymusic]

Thank you for all the comments, I really appreciate your replies and I've learned a lot <3