Resources for buskers and street artists - the biggest events, festivals and communities, please.

July 27, 2009 10:01 PM

I'd like to find out about the biggest street performer events and communities and festivals and stages as possible. All and any links are welcome. What are the best online resources as far as busking/street performer/street art communities are concerned? I've already been to performers.net, where I'm posting this question as well. I'm in New York City, but anywhere is fine.
posted by omnigut to Media & Arts (11 answers total)

There is a very big street performance festival here in Japan every year ...
posted by woodblock100 at 10:42 PM on July 27, 2009

Would fringe festivals count? There's the Edinburgh Fringe and Adelaide Fringe amongst others.

Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland has a pretty extensive street performer section; I was an ASM for it last year.

I was going to say there was something for this on Projects, but then I see it's your project!
posted by divabat at 11:26 PM on July 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

The carnival in Rio - and particularly the part that takes place in the Sambadrome - must be one of the largest street performances in the world. The samba schools are the basis for making this entertainment. If you are interested in them then there are some you can join as a foreigner.
posted by rongorongo at 12:12 AM on July 28, 2009

Response by poster: Hey, fantastic links, thank you! I'm adding them now. And yes, it's my project, I'm just trying to build it up. Trying to get it to be as helpful as possible. Does anyone know of any communities? Facebook doesn't seem to have any big ones (or regularly updated ones), Livejournal is a little slow, too, and I can't find any good myspace ones either (!). Am I looking in the wrong places?
posted by omnigut at 4:13 AM on July 28, 2009

A proposed street entertainment festival in the UK
posted by emilyw at 4:56 AM on July 28, 2009

There is a now annual street performance festival in Dublin - rather grandly titled 'Street Performance World Championship'
and a sibling festival in Cork.
posted by a womble is an active kind of sloth at 5:12 AM on July 28, 2009 [1 favorite]

Best answer: My little, neglected blog, NYC Street Vendor, has some useful links for you, such as Robert Lederman's Yahoo Group, NYC Street Artists or the excellent Street Vendor Project.org.

There's also the Schedule of New York City Street Fairs and Festivals.
posted by nickyskye at 5:31 AM on July 28, 2009

I once happened to go through Windsor, Ontario during their annual Busker Festival. It was a spectacle, and kind of fun, but it's not really my bag so I don't know much more about it.
posted by aimedwander at 6:26 AM on July 28, 2009

You've just missed it, but second the Windsor International Busker Festival. It has been a few years since I made it, but it was a lot of fun. Usually 3 performances going on at once, I think.
posted by QIbHom at 6:55 AM on July 28, 2009

I don't think you are looking in the wrong places. As a former street performer, I think sometimes these things are intentionally kept a bit quiet, and publicized by word-of-mouth among serious street performers. An easily-accessible list would most likely lead to an overwhelming number of buskers at each event. Often, these festivals can only support a certain number of street performers, and radically upping the numbers could be damaging to the flavor of the event, and the success of individual performers. At least, this is my feeling after busking in Europe for 3 years. Just something to consider...
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 10:21 AM on July 28, 2009

Edmonton International Street Performers Festival
posted by metaname at 11:42 AM on July 28, 2009