Artists Invited to Perform In City
The City of Hamilton today [Oct.5] announced the start of their busking program and invited artists to apply to
perform within the City over the coming months.
Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Edward Benevides, commented, “We are looking for performers of all types to provide entertainment on the city streets over the next few months leading up to Christmas. High traffic areas have been identified throughout Hamilton where performers can set up their equipment to perform.”
Mr. Benevides added, “There is an application process and a nominal fee. Applicants, once processed and approved by the Events Project team, will be able to select an available space and time slot, and then simply show up and perform.”
“We a looking for singers, musicians, spoken word artists, we would even consider dancers. Anyone with a talent which they would like to share. Performers cannot solicit but they will be allowed to put out a hat to collect funds given by passers-by provided their permit is displayed.”
Mr. Benevides concluded, “We see the buskers program as an opportunity to provide an avenue for budding and seasoned artists, alike, to be heard in a different environment. As we move toward the Christmas season we want to have the city buzzing, which we believe will encourage residents to come into Hamilton to browse and shop.”
Anyone interested in the buskers program should contact the City of Hamilton Events Projects Manager – Danilee Trott by email at dtrott@cityhall.bm or by phone at 292 1234.
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Category: All, Entertainment, Music, News
It is a sad, sad day when we realize we have dropped this low…. I can see it now: mother juggling oranges (rotten, of course) on one corner, daughter dancing on another and the son collecting their earnings in the hats. Is this really something we want to expose tourists to? Oh wait….we have no tourists. In that case, feel free to hang out on the corners soliciting money in a hat. I think there’s a name for that….
Yet another sad, sad day in a long string of sad, sad days for Bermuda. How did we get here?
Why so negative, that’s why there is an application process to ensure the act is entertaining and tasteful. Hats off to the Corporation for trying to branch out and do something new.
Wow, you are ignorant! instead of being negative, why not look at this positively? this is a wonderful way for Bermudian artists who usually dont have the forum to express and showcase their talent. Some of the worlds best musicians perform in the Subways and streets. Support your local artists instead of looking down on them! JOKER!!!!
You cannot be serious? One more reason for me to shop on-line (as if I needed another) and to eat at home!!!!!!! I don’t like being hustled for money when I walk down the street. I don’t like having to step over Mr. Smelly-Dread-Locks to get into the restaurants. (That poor man has gangrene in his feet by the way! If only he could come up with a talent and a hat!!)
Who in their infinite wisdom hit their head on something hard and came up with this stroke of stupidity?
I doubt anyone will pay to perform. I certainly won’t.
are they dopey?
will you get arrested for just going out and doing it without their “permission” on the same streets & sidewalks that your tax dollars help to maintain?
Mr. Benevides & company have got some crust inna??
I guess the naysayers didn’t read the part that said “Applicants, once processed and approved by the Events Project team etc”
There is a screening process.
There are a lot of talented performers in Bermuda and this is potentially a good way to showcase it.
hahaha negative….since there is a screening process…it isn’t truly about self expression…..but accepted expresion….
and accepted by whom?
long story short….its BS….like I said earlier, nobody can tell you that you can’t just go out and do it if you wanted to.
Bitter artist by any chance?
Not that I think you will reply to this, as it seems you just want to take potshots, but…
The screening process is to make sure it’s acceptable to the public. Since you are a member OF the public and want to perform for them, in a public space, THAT is who needs to accept it.
(Just a Q… “like I said earlier…”? When? Where did you say this earlier?)
Oh, and folks CAN tell you that you can’t just go out and do it if you wanted to. They absolutely can. It’s called the law. These are rules that we, as society agree to live by.
You certainly CAN go out and do it, but someone may stop you and is perfectly within the law to do so.
I think this is a great idea! I’m gonna sign up for this myself. Too bad I won’t be able to perform until I get back home but I love the idea and I think we should definitely make this a habit. This is a normality in cities around the world and it’s about time they starting it In Bermy
. For people who have negative comments please shut up! (rolls eyes) ignorant bermudians. People like me are locals that just like to be able to pick up their guitars, congas, keyboards, steel pans, flutes, saxophones, and what ever other instruments they play and have some fun!
Make no mistake, I think its a great idea. I just think you shouldn’t have to pay. I think that having to pay will turn many people off.
This happens in big cities everywhere. Should we have to pay to perform to bring people into town to shop….really? Performing for free because you love it is one thing but paying the City of Hamilton is another!
great idea, why all the hate? this should have been done pre summer. yes applicants should be screened to keep it to good locations and people with actual talent. so what if you have to pay, think of it as a business because you will surely make more than the fee
I’m shocked that there are so many negative comments. If you go to almost any cultured city in the world, you will encounter buskers on the streets. They help to give the city life and character. As others have said, there is so much talent here on the island, and I’m glad that there will finally be an outlet for them on the city streets! God knows Bermuda is seriously lacking for live music…. I’m looking forward to hearing the tunes in Hamilton!
I think it is a good idea in that Bermudian artists should be encouraged to share their talents in different forms and forums but CofH should be paying THEM… as stated in me of the above comments any CULTURED city has buskers on the street, they add to the life of the city… we need to appreciate our artists and really get our heads into cultivating a pride,identity and artistic connectivity…
This is a great idea and something we’ve needed for a while.
They specifically say that performers can’t solicit, so, if you read “hustling people for money”, you’re just plain looking for the bad in it, rather than reading what’s there.
This is a trial thing, it looks like and, having read the dossier, will be held in three places. Nellie’s Walk in front of City Hall and Par-la-ville Park for performing and the little park where the new Mexican place is, next to City Hall Parking lot.
As for “Paying for it”, it’s a one time fee of $25, to pay for administration of the paperwork for the permits.
If you have a problem with that, let me know and I’ll either spot you the cash or find folks that will help out. There’s already been talk of that.
From the looks of this, it looks like they’ve done their homework, have researched this and are really trying to do something positive in town.
Any other reaction to this is just knee-jerk negativity based on not a single fact.
will it be safe will we get robbed or shot???
I have mixed feelings about this one – $25 cost to the artist + cost of transporting materials + cost of time used to perform, practice, etc….but then how does the artist absorb these costs? How many will manage to get their $25 back by laying a hat out..that’s 25 people giving them each a dollar, or 100 people giving them each a quarter…is that a reasonable expectation during a particularly tight Christmas season? Maybe one or two will manage, but most people who participate may have to accept that they are essentially paying to play. Why not let them sell their cds/visual art/chapbooks/etc? If they expect artists to volunteer and not seek compensation directly from the corporation, then they either shouldn’t charge a processing fee, or they should make the fee truly “nominal” – ie. less than 25 dollars. What service besides the permit does the $25 get them? Is the real cost to the corporation $25 per applicant? A bit more than an hour’s labor per potential busker, plus a few dollars for the piece of paper that the permit gets printed on? Really? Of course, the Corporation are probably just doing it the way it’s done elsewhere: Buskers in NYC, for example, should technically have permits; these also cost $25..but perhaps the cost there is more justified by the higher number of people who would pass by and potentially chuck some change to an NYC busker – in fact, you don’t even technically have to get the permit in NYC if you don’t expect to attract a crowd of more than 20 people at a time and don’t have amplifiers. I’m not trying to poop all over this idea because in principle it’s solid, but maybe they could reconsider some of the regulations and application costs. Also, I do wonder what acts will be considered unacceptable. Will you still have to pay the $25 if they reject your application? Will permits be revoked? Who will check the permits? If they intend to monitor content, who will do that? What will define their standards, and who will decide what is and what is not offensive? Will a single complaint be enough to get your act pulled out, like back in the day when one single tourist complained about Manuel Palacio’s painting at Harbor Nights and it ended up being taken down by the police? Is that fair? What about the assignment of times/places? I am not trying to be contrary for the sake of it, but this could be wicked if done right and a total farce if done wrong. Interesting to see how it turns out. I hope that if for some reason it doesn’t work out, they’ll adjust their plans and not just scrap the scheme completely. This could be the first step towards formalizing busking licenses to be issued year-round. As such, let’s hope they get off to a good start.