Busking in the City of Charles Sturt

Busking and street performance, supports musicians and artists in our City, and adds vibrancy to our streets. We encourage performers from all backgrounds and abilities to showcase their talents through a variety of mediums.

If you’re keen to busk or perform on the street in our City, your performance fits into our criteria, busking is free and no permissions are required.

If you are performing in our City, please share your talents with us on socials using

• #cityofcharlessturt
• FB - @cityofcharlessturt
• Insta – @charlessturtsa
• TikTok - @cityofcharlessturt

What is busking and street performance?

We define it as a performer who actively provides a performance in a public space in exchange for a donation.

Entertainment may be provided through playing a musical instrument, singing, spoken word recitals, magic, circus arts, puppetry, dance, theatre or visual arts.

What is permitted?

Types of busking and street performances we welcome include:

• Performing with an instrument or multiple instruments, noise levels sensitive to the enjoyment of the area;
• Performing a song, dance, circus arts, puppetry, comedy, magic or living statue act; and/or
• Live visual arts mediums such as ephemeral art, portraiture or chalk art.

Our performance criteria asks performers to:

• Be friendly to other performers, surrounding businesses and the community.
• To be  a minimum distance of 50m from each other and  remain in one location for no more than 90 minutes within a 5 hour period.
• Performances should not contain knives, fire or other hazardous substances.
• Act within the law and manage their own risk to reduce any negative effect on other persons, businesses or property.
• Be responsible for managing their own risk.  All buskers agree to indemnify the City of Charles Sturt in the event of their own negligence. Risk management may include modifying the act accordingly or purchasing insurances as the busker(s) considers fit.
• Ensure group acts hold no more than 4 performers and do not take up more than 1.5m x 3m floor space.
• Performances must not obstruct pedestrian movement, impede access or create a safety hazard and should not take place on a roadway.
• Consult with directly adjacent business and residences prior to commencing performing. If complaints are received the busker must agree to move on.
• We also request performances to be at least 30 minutes without repeating a performance.

Busking on private land is at the discretion of property owners or tenants. Busking at events is at the discretion of the event organisers.

If buskers conduct themselves in accordance with the above and the act doesn’t fall under ‘What is not automatically permitted’ as below, no further permissions from the City of Charles Sturt are required.

What does it cost?

Street performance activities that fall within our performance criteria are free to undertake.

What performance do I need a Council permit or special approval for?

The below activities are not permitted without Council a permit or special approval:

• Performing using knives, fire or other hazardous substances
• Performing for longer periods of time
• Selling or street trading of any kind
• Artists selling pre-fabricated work – pavement artists must be actively engaged in producing their artistic medium and not simply selling displayed artworks
• Performing permanent artworks or putting in place permanent installations
• Touting, spruiking or advertising
• Political rallying
• Religious preaching and promotions
• Fortune telling including tarot card reading and palmistry
• Massage, chiropractic treatment or any other physical manipulation
• Face or body painting
• Temporary tattoo applications including henna
• Fundraising on behalf of a charity, cause or organisation
• Promotions even if they involve any element of performance.

Contact us on 8408 1111 to obtain special approval or for more information. These guidelines will be reviewed in January each year.