SIDEWALK BUSKING
Music, dance or any performance makes a place. The sidewalk becomes a stage. How wonderful to stumble upon impromptu performances as you walk down the street. Busking, or street performing, for tips is an age-old tradition.
Suddenly a nowhere place becomes animated. It can be magical. Open to all, it is true bottom-up performance, showcasing talent that lies hidden in our city.
Cypher Univercity’s Tuscon!
Cypher Univercity, a local hip hop group, energizes a downtown corner and is regularly bringing their creativity to the Freedom tunnel on NCSU campus. They describe themselves as:
“A community. A training ground. An education. An experience.”
How can we welcome these kinds of local pop-up performance to our streets and events more often? Pittsburgh has a “Street Stages” program that invites busking in certain spots throughout town.
Happily, the City of Raleigh has initiated a lunchtime busking program in Moore Square: 11am - 1pm, Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Apply HERE!
“Street performers attract the public into an area ….They cost nothing and attract crowds of people to shops. It’s a win-win.”
Busker Bill Shannon said, “A lot of cities really do shut down buskers, and when you go to cities with street performers, it’s like the streets are alive.”