How do you get a busking licence, how old do you have to be to busk in the UK and what’s the London Underground scheme?
IT is a great way to get used to performing live in front of crowds and earning a little bit of cash too
BUSKING is the perfect way to give budding musicians experience of performing to crowds and build up their fan base.
If you're confused about the rules and regulations of street performing, then here's a handy guide on what you need to know about busking.
How do you get a busking licence?
Firstly, it's important to know that busking isn't actually illegal.
But council rules stopping street performers means you may have to apply for a licence to do it.
You also have to make sure you don't make too much noise, block public highways or display notices for payment.
Contact your local council to see if you need a busking licence, which you may have to pay for.
How old do you have to be to busk in the UK?
Different regions have different rules for buskers across the UK.
But one thing that remains the same is that children under 14 aren't allowed to busk in Britain.
International Busking Day is Saturday, July 22, 2017.
Can buskers collect money?
Yes. Voluntary donations from the public can be accepted if you have a licence to busk in your area.
But street trading laws prohibit buskers from selling their merchandise on the street without obtaining permission first.
They can hand out their goods for free though.
What's the London Underground scheme?
The London Underground Busking Scheme gives buskers the opportunity to perform to a potential audience of 3.5million passengers who travel daily on the Tube.
Ed Sheeran, Jessie J, Bob Geldof and Katherine Jenkins have all played on the Underground's stage.
It was launched 15 years ago, with 35 official bnusking pitches across the Tube and more than 1,800 bookable performance slots every week
To apply for an audition, applicants must be aged 16 years or over.
There is no upper age limit) but only soloists and duos can be accepted for auditions and you must be from the UK.
A panel of music industry experts will judge the buskers before selecting who they believe should be given a chance to perform on the Underground.
Keep an eye out for when the auditions open on the website.
