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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Monday, October 2. View holiday hours for City of Winnipeg facilities and services.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Monday, October 2. View holiday hours for City of Winnipeg facilities and services.

Busking in Winnipeg

Guidelines for Street Entertainment

Winnipeg is a city of the arts. Internationally renowned for artistic and creative innovation and diversity, Winnipeg is a city that expresses itself through arts, culture and creativity.

The City of Winnipeg endeavours to foster creativity and expression by supporting conditions and infrastructure that allow for a diversity of cultural and artistic practices. It also recognizes that street performances are a valued art form that contribute to the artistic fabric of our community and enhance the vibrancy of our city.

The City of Winnipeg strives to work collaboratively with members of the busking community to ensure that their performances follow best practices and established guidelines.

Examples of Busking

  • Acting or reciting
  • Singing
  • Pantomime
  • Clowning
  • Ballooning
  • Juggling
  • Magic performance
  • Comedy performance
  • Dancing
  • Playing instruments, radios or other devices used to produce or reproduce sound.

Responsibility of the Busker

Buskers are encouraged to be aware of best practices and established guidelines. Download the City of Winnipeg's A Guide to Busking in Winnipeg: Guidelines for Street Entertainment brochure for more information.

Location

Buskers are responsible for ensuring that their performance does not obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Please consult the Streets By-law for more information.

Public Risk or Danger

A street performance must not pose a danger or risk of any kind to the public.

Equipment should not be left unattended at any time. Buskers are also not permitted to plug into public or private power outlets, nor are buskers permitted to leave power cords unattended.

Buskers are equally responsible for ensuring that no public or private property is damaged as a result of a performance.

Please consult the Streets By-law for more information.

Noise

Buskers must adhere to the noise regulations in Part Five of the Neighbourhood Liveability By-law, in addition to the noise regulations in the Parks By-Law if performing in a City-run park.

Applicable Permits

Buskers who wish to conduct business, i.e. sell recordings, must apply for a Use of Street Permit and comply with the conditions thereof. Please consult Public Works - Permits for more information.

Donations and Vending

Buskers are allowed to solicit donations from the public, but are not permitted to do so in a manner which causes an obstruction. Please consult the Obstructive Solicitation By-law for more information.

Buskers who wish to conduct business, i.e. sell recordings, must apply for a Use of Street Permit and comply with the conditions thereof.

By-Laws

Certain by-laws are being enforced to ensure that busking continues to be a valued art form in Winnipeg, including the Neighbourhood Liveability By-law, the Obstructive Solicitation By-law, the Streets By-law, and the Parks By-Law.

Other Resources

For a guide to busking, please consult the City of Winnipeg's A Guide to Busking in Winnipeg: Guidelines for Street Entertainment brochure.

For more information, please contact 311.

Last update: March 19, 2018

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