...busking

Some of us will conjure up images of the comical one man band playing to a queue, or the out of tune guitarist begging at a railway station. The history of busking, or itinerant musicians and actors, goes well back to medieval times and perhaps further. Today, busking is experiencing something of a revival in the area of street entertainment with some people doing this professionally and selling their CDs in the street.

Wherever you do this in public, you will need the permission of the landowner and consider the legal aspects of public performance.

• Busking can involve a number of different types of entertainment; it is simply performing for money!
• Does your Group have a small bunch of musically talented people that can play in public?
• Learning simple tunes on recorders and penny whistles.
• Christmas carol singing.
• Combining some of the other skills contained in this resource.

www.vocalist.org.uk/busking_links.html Easy to understand and comprehensive. Takes you from history to opportunities and technical areas like Music Law.

www.buskersunion.com The National Buskers Union started their Awards in 2003 to cover Best Juggler, Best Mime, Best Musician, Best Statute - which shows the areas that could be considered. Their site also covers their work in helping homeless, Buskers School, and you can even buy a Buskers CD.

Scouts busking? Look at the work and pictures of Woking District Thailand Jamboree Contingent on their web pages 'Busking Scouts' letsjamboree.org.uk/funds/wait.htm and letsjamboree.org.uk/funds/safe.htm. Apart from playing music, they included juggling as part of their public performance in order to raise funds.

Discussion: Homeless and busking. Visit the buskers' union website mentioned above for a starting point for discussions.