Yea you can fight it and lose big time. Maybe win the legal battle but lose the war big picture. Just move along, and come back later or another day.

I see this topic and I am reminded of my mother, long passed. She was a very proper Irish lady and as a child I often heard her tell me that "I can't see my friends now that you've embarrassed me so much." Ah yes how to make guilt work for you. Well if she only knew that I busk for a living! She would never understand that it wasn't begging.

Unfortunately this is still the attitude of a lot of people here in the States. If you don't have a "REAL" job you must be a beggar. What is funny is that if you are a musician, it's acceptable, but a magician is not an entertainer in their view.

You should read all the information at:
http://communityartsadvocates.org/saalegal.html



And contact the ACLU:
http://www.aclu.org



You did mention campus police? Is this indeed a public location? As in a state campus, or a private school?

JoeJoe

Campus police...apparently the street is private property, ownedby Williams College...in Williamstown Ma.

johnny

If it is private property, there really isn't much you can do ... the owner of the property has every right to decide who can (and can not) perform there.

You basically have two options ... seek permission to perform there, or find another pitch.

-JoeJoe

The best buskers I've seen have never mentioned money - they've had the hat out and sincerely thanked every single person who put any amount of money in it - but never ever suggested that anyone need put money in - this seems to motivate people to step up to the plate with pride - parents dropping money in - and then giving their kids something to put in - teaching them how it's done. It seems to be the absolute worst buskers with very little ability and no social skills beyond bare faced cheek who harangue people to give them money.

It seems that if institutions are labelling buskers as panhandlers then this problem is more then just isolated to a few jerks.

You hit the hammer on the nail my friend...thus seemeth the problema...

johnny

Posted: Aug 23, 2006 12:31am
Heres another thing...in Williamstown Ma (where my pitch WAS), on Spring st.they let a female musician accept tips in her case, she was even in the local newspaper.

WHy would I get the boot being a magician?

johnny

Note that you said "almost" the same spot. If she's past the campus boundary line, they can't do anything. (And of course, guitar players are consider "artistic" while magicians are consider "sleazy.")

Its possibly because she may be a cute rock chick... and your well... Mr Mystic...No offence but If I showed up to a pitch with my tattoos and gold teeth in my mouth, my juggling stuff ect. I'm sure theyd probably try and move me as well. Also music tends to be a backround noise and a busker is more in your face. Being a buskers is seen as being a nucence by many but music is "lovely art"... my feeling is if she sucked at guitar and sucked loud enough shed be ask to move as well.

Who knows Im not there,

Anton

p.s. I know a lot magi around here that see street performing as begging. Belive that! Brothers in magic seeing what we do as cheap and ***ish.