SINGAPORE – Every two weeks or so, hundreds of buskers here can be found hunching over their computers at 9am, hurriedly looking for and booking slots for popular spots to perform in Singapore.

High-demand locations – such as Paya Lebar Square, Wisma Atria and Ion Orchard – can be snapped up within a minute of being made available, with balloting even needed sometimes.

This is just one of the challenges that buskers whom The Straits Times spoke to say they face with the current booking system, which was introduced in March 2022 and allows each busker to book up to six one-hour slots per day.

Prior to this, a busker was allocated five locations out of the 10 they named in their application for a busking permit after passing an audition.

There are currently over 80 busking locations islandwide, after the National Arts Council (NAC) in November 2023 announced more than 10 new busking spots, a move that was cheered by the local busking community.

Mr Bryan Wong York Jiang, a 27-year-old busker and full-time circus performer, said the announcement signalled greater acceptance of street performers among Singaporeans, and that he would like to perform at new locations such as those along the Singapore River.

Another busker, Ms Caroline Jane Cornelius-Jones, had mixed feelings about the recent additions.

The 54-year-old Singapore permanent resident, a bubble artist who entertains people with giant bubbles, welcomed the new spaces, especially larger ones such as the two spots along the Singapore River. This would benefit acts like hers; she typically uses a 2.5m-long wand for her performances and needs a space that is bigger than 3m by 3m.

However, such spaces may still not exactly be ideal for Ms Cornelius-Jones, who explained: “For me, most of the spaces don’t work as they are under direct sun. No shade.

“So, I can busk only before 11am or after 6pm (after) the sun goes down, as the bright sun will pop the bubbles straight away.”

The addition of busking spaces has not alleviated competition for popular locations either.

“Popular busking spots tend to be the locations with higher footfall, and they are also the spots that can be fully booked within a minute of release every first and 15th of the month,” said Mr Wong.

The hustling for spots has even pushed some buskers away. Mr Jeremy Chin Jun Wei, 25, is one of them.

He let his NAC-issued letter of endorsement, or busking card, lapse in May 2023. He first received his busking licence in 2018, and used to perform twice a week during his spare time.

Buskers are required to attend an audition every year, and only successful applicants will obtain the busking card.

“I don’t plan to audition because I have filled up my schedule with regular gigs and engagements at bars and restaurants, on top of my full-time music teaching job,” said Mr Chin, who did not share where he teaches music.

“I sometimes still miss the thrill of busking, but thinking of having to fight for slots – it’s a big turn-off,” he added.

Mr Jonathan Goh Cheng Leong, chairman of Buskers’ Association Singapore and a busker himself, thinks there can be better matching of the size of spaces to that required by the acts, instead of the current “free-for-all” approach to booking performing slots.

Mr Goh, 27, is one-half of a circus comedy duo known as The Annoying Brothers, who use apparatus such as a ladder, a balancing board and a juggling prop in their routines. He said that locations that are big enough for his acts are usually snapped up very quickly.

In response to ST’s queries, NAC said that the current booking system was introduced “based on feedback from buskers who had asked for access to more locations, greater flexibility to plan their schedules and confirmed spots to busk at”.

It acknowledged that buskers “have shared various issues and concerns through Buskers Connect, NAC’s regular engagement with the busking community”.

Spaces prioritised for larger acts, namely those at the Singapore River Read Bridge and Riverside Point Fountain, have been made known to buskers via e-mail and at an online engagement session conducted in November 2023, NAC added.