Busking and Street Performance Review

Busking and Street Performance play a key role in bringing a city to life through many creative talents including music, dance, street theatre and art. They have the power to activate spaces and bring people together through the ambience and culture.

City of Darwin encourages creativity and innovation in busking and street performing and welcomes the diverse cultural expression of a wide range of buskers and street performers to creatively contribute to our unique tropical city.

We all share the streets and public spaces of Darwin and people often have different ideas about how space should and can be used. City of Darwin’s busking application process and conditions aim to reduce the potential for conflict and support a community culture where creativity on the street is enjoyable and celebrated broadly through encouraging mutual consideration and respect.

We've recently had a lot of feedback about busking and street performance so we're undertaking a review. Council's current process includes the following application form and permit;

Busking and Street Performer Application Form

Busking and Street Performer Permit

An overview of the key elements of the application process and conditions is provided below.

Location

Buskers and street performers can set up in any Council owned public spaces and commercial areas including malls, footpaths, and parks throughout Darwin. Performers can only remain in the same location for less two hours, they must then relocate to another location over 150m from that location.

The Smith St Mall has four designated busking locations, busking in other areas of the Mall is not permitted.

Smith St Mall Busking locations

Times

Busking is allowed between:

• 9.00 am - 10.00 pm Sunday to Thursday
• 9.00 am - 12.00 am (midnight) Friday and Saturday

Fees and Charges

The table below shows the City of Darwin fees for busking and a comparison to some other cities

Application and permit conditions

• All performers are to hold and display their permit
• A photo for the purposes of identification will be included on the permit
• Failure to display a valid permit will result in an infringement being issued
• There is a maximum of 100 permits available at any given time
• Transferring a permit to another person, will result in an infringement to both parties and the withdrawal of the permit
• If another performer is already in a location they have exclusive access to that location and a surrounding exclusion zone of up to 20 metres for up to 2 hours
• Evidence of public liability insurance required for incorporated entities

Unacceptable busking activities

The following activities are not permitted:

• Amplification is not permitted in any area except Raintree Park
• Acts that involve animals
• Selling or offering for sale any articles, commodities or services with the exception of the busker’s own original CDs and DVDs
• Fundraising, events or promotions even if they involve any element of performance as listed previously. This includes advertising or spruiking for political, religious or for any other reason.
• Vilification of any community members, including but not limited to racial, sexual, gender or disability discrimination.
• Dangerous performances or performances using dangerous goods including but not limited to fire twirling, firecrackers, large props, knives, snakes etc. are currently prohibited.

Consultation Closed

Thank you for the feedback, this consultation is now closed. The feedback will be presented to Council to finalise the busking and street performance application process and conditions.

If you have any queries please contact:

Email: engage@darwin.nt.gov.au

Phone: 8930 0674