SINGAPORE - Street performers or buskers will soon find it easier to ballot for performance spots and also enjoy a simpler audition process as part of efforts to bring them to a wider audience in Singapore.
The changes are in response to feedback and discussions held with buskers, the Busking Consultative Committee and other members of the wider community.
In a statement on Feb 22, the National Arts Council (NAC) said it is rolling out three key changes in a bid to step up support for busking and widen the reach of street performers.
First, the Busking Card (Letter of Endorsement) will be valid for two years for experienced buskers instead of one. Experienced buskers are those who have at least two years of experience.
Buskers will also be able to renew the busking card online for two more years. That means experienced buskers will need to audition only once every four years when the new rules kick in, the statement said.
Now, all buskers need to audition every year to renew the busking card – which acts as a permit to perform at the designated busking locations. Applying for a card does not require a fee.
Buskers who are new to the scene or have been on the scheme for less than two years will have to attend auditions twice for the first two years. After that, they will enjoy the same perks as experienced buskers.
This is to ensure the quality of busking acts, the statement said.
Second, the balloting system that buskers use to book performance locations will include more slots at popular spots that have been booked often by buskers in the past year, including heartland locations like Ang Mo Kio, Hougang and Kampung Admiralty.
The NAC statement said the list of popular locations will be reviewed every year to ensure that the spaces are being used efficiently.
Ten new spots have also been set aside since December 2023 for busking. These 10 spots bring the total number of busking locations in Singapore to 80.
Third, a new time-sharing function will be launched on the busking e-service portal from June. This is expected to enable buskers to share their slot with another busker or busking group.
NAC said the aim is to help buskers make the best use of their slot, for instance, by taking turns to perform, with breaks between each set.
That also means people will be able to catch a wider range of acts at each location, it added.
Busker Lye Meow Leng, who is part of the three-man band Zerofive, said: “Having joined the scheme in February as a new busker, I would think that a second audition would be a good milestone for new buskers, to reflect and decide if busking is something they would want to do in the longer term.”
She added that the extension of the validity period for the busking card is a move that makes things more convenient because once buskers pass the second audition, they will not be required to audition every year.
Ms Aruna Johnson, who is the director of NAC’s arts ecosystem group (access and community engagement), said in the statement that the changes stem from the collective effort of the busking community.
She said: “We hope to make every busker’s journey smoother and more pleasant, as the increased ease and flexibility in the scheme allow buskers to focus on honing their craft and to continue bringing creative acts to audiences islandwide.”
List of popular locations for balloting:
- Ang Mo Kio Hub
- Hougang Central Court
- Hougang Central Hub
- Kampung Admiralty
- Mandarin Gallery
- Ngee Ann City A
- Ngee Ann City B
- Paya Lebar Square
- Suntec City A
- Suntec City B
- Tanjong Pagar Plaza
- Wisma Atria
- Clarke Quay Read Bridge (pilot – prioritised for large acts)
- Riverside Point Fountain (pilot – prioritised for large acts)
