Busking and Street Performance in Darwin
City of Darwin welcomes buskers and street performers to our city. Council recognises busking and street performing as an artform and acknowledges the contribution it makes to the cultural fabric of our local area.
‘Busking’ and ‘Street Performing’ can mean performing music, dance or street theatre in a public space for the purpose of receiving monetary contributions from members of the public. Buskers are not paid or hired directly for their performance but rely on passers-by appreciating their work and choosing to pay the performer.
Busking and street performing can be done in all Council owned public spaces and commercial areas including malls (with some restrictions on the Smith Street Mall), footpaths (without impeding pedestrian flow), and parks (excluding war memorials) throughout Darwin. Areas that are not governed by the City of Darwin Council are excluded. These include Darwin Waterfront, Northern Territory Government land, Commonwealth land, neighbouring council’s land and private property. Contact the relevant authority for details about their busking policies.
Busking and street performing can occur between 9.00 am - 10.00 pm Sunday to Thursday and 9.00 am - 12.00 am (midnight) Friday and Saturday. Sessions are to be less than 2 hours, at which time the busker must relocate to a different site at least 150 metres away.
Permits cost as little as $5 and City of Darwin will issue a maximum of 100 permits current at any given time.
City of Darwin’s busking guidelines aim to reduce the potential for conflict and support a community-minded approach to how our common spaces are to be creatively utilised for the benefit of all. To support this approach buskers must submit an application form to City of Darwin for a permit to perform within the Darwin municipality.
Allocated busking zones within the Smith Street Mall are marked on this map:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is busking or street performing?
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‘Busking’ and ‘Street Performing’ can mean performing music, dance, street theatre or art in a public space for the purpose of receiving contributions from members of the public. Some ideas for busking include solo or group music acts (non-amplified), solo singing, human statues, poetry recitation, juggling, magic tricks, and chalk art.
- How do I get permission to perform?
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You will need to apply for approval from City of Darwin to busk. Busking permits are issued subject to you agreeing to uphold the permit guidelines. Busking and street performing permits are issued at the Civic Centre on Harry Chan Avenue during business hours. When applying for approval you will need to provide:
- a completed application form
- proof of identity
- fee payment
If you are approved to busk you will be issued a permit that must remain on display in a prominent position close to where you are performing at all times. A photograph will be taken by a Council Officer for identification purposes to be displayed on approved permits.
- What does a busking permit cost?
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Busking and street performing permits are issued by the City of Darwin Customer Service Team for a fee, in accordance with City of Darwin’s Fees and Charges.
The charges are:
- One Week Permit: $5
- Four Month Permit: $20
- One Year Permit: $30
- When can I perform?
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Permits are valid for the approved dates as written on your permit. You can busk on these days from 9.00am - 10.00pm Sunday to Thursday and 9.00am - 12.00am (midnight) Friday and Saturday.
- Where can I perform?
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Busking is permitted in all council owned public spaces and commercial areas including malls, footpaths and parks throughout Darwin. However, Buskers are not permitted to perform on or in the immediate area surrounding any war memorial including the Cenotaph in Bicentennial Park.
Buskers can perform in permitted areas provided they adhere to the City's busking guidelines as outlined on the Permit Application Form.
The Mall is a zoned area with designated busking locations and extra busking conditions apply. The Mall busking map outlines restricted areas in the mall and the Permit Application Form identifies extra busking conditions regarding amplification in Raintree Park.
Areas that are not governed by the City of Darwin Council are excluded. These include Darwin Waterfront, Northern Territory Government land, Commonwealth land, neighbouring council’s land and private property. Contact the relevant authority for details about their busking policies.
- Is there a limit to how many people can busk in Darwin?
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City of Darwin will issue a maximum of 100 permits at any given time. These permits are divided as follows:
- 20 x One Week Permits
- 30 x Four Month Permits
- 50 x One Year Permits
- What is unacceptable busking activity?
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Unacceptable busking activity includes:
- Excessively loud performances – Amplification is not permitted in any area except Raintree Park. If you are intending to amplify your busking performance, City of Darwin Customer Service Team must be notified on the day prior to performing.
- Acts that involve animals.
- Selling or offering for sale any articles, commodities or services with the exception of the busker’s own original CDs and DVDs.
- Fundraising, events or promotions even if they involve any element of performance as listed previously. This includes advertising or spruiking for political, religious or any other cause.
- Vilification of any community members, including but not limited to racial, sexual, gender or disability discrimination.
- Dangerous performances or performances using dangerous goods including but not limited to fire twirling, firecrackers, large props, knives, snakes etc.
Our staff will investigate each complaint received and take appropriate action. City of Darwin reserves the right to revoke or limit permits at any time if buskers fail to comply with these conditions.
More Information
For more information on current opportunities contact the Arts and Cultural Development Officer or refer to the Busking and Street Performer Application Form.