ABOUT | Berlin Street Music

About Berlin Street Music

Berlin Street Music is an advocacy group set up in order to fight to keep street art, in particular music, alive in Berlin. We aim to bring together the musicians, the public, authority figures, policy makers, advocates, businesses, lobby groups, and anyone else involved in creating a thriving, culturally rich, and economically sustainable street art scene. We hope to develop a community by bringing people together through numerous events, concerts, social projects, and other initiatives.

It is a place for musicians to come to gather all the information they need about performing in Berlin; a forum for bookers and organiser’s to find new talent; an advocacy group charged with fighting for musicians rights in Berlin; a coordinated front for facilitating transparent communication between musicians and policy makers; a platform for the Berlin public to find and follow new talent; and a catalyst for musicians to swap ideas and information.

Street music in Berlin, as in many other cities world wide, is becoming increasingly more regulated and policed. We, as a group, do not necessarily see the regulation of street performance as a threat, however the policies currently in place here in Berlin are short sighted, poorly policed, and devised largely behind closed doors, often with little or no input from the people they affect. Furthermore, the interpretation of the rules by those enforcing them, often shows no leniency dependent on the situation and often manifests itself in a heavy handed approach to a problem that often doesn’t exist.

We as a group see there is a need, currently not being served, for street musicians and other performers to be fairly represented. We believe that presenting our collective point of view with a united and organised front is paramount in achieving recognition legally, socially, and economically within the political and economic system, and to allow policy makers to see that street music, in Berlin especially, is incredibly important in both the history and development of the city.

Our Goals:

- to develop relationships with all musicians performing on the streets of Berlin

- to develop relationships with select venues with whom we can create regular performance opportunities, especially in Winter

- to create networking opportunities in order for artists to meet industry professionals

- to review the current permit system in place in Berlin, in consultation with all performers

- to create regular events and fundraisers and develop our own social identity

- to regularly update our database of busking resources

for more please read our Manifesto