Site Accessibility Information Access Key 1 to Skip to Top Navigation Access Key 2 to Skip to the Three One One link Access Key 3 to Skip to City of Winnipeg Main Menu Access Key 4 to Skip to Left Navigation Menu Access Key 5 to Skip to Content area Access Key 6 to Skip to Right Sidebar content area Access Key 7 to Skip to Footer Links
Busking in Winnipeg

Guidelines for Street Entertainment

Winnipeg is a city of the arts. Internationally renowned for artistic and creative innovation and diversity, Winnipeg is a city that expresses itself through arts, culture and creativity.

The City of Winnipeg endeavours to foster creativity and expression by supporting conditions and infrastructure that allow for a diversity of cultural and artistic practices. It also recognizes that street performances are a valued art form that contribute to the artistic fabric of our community and enhance the vibrancy of our city.

The City of Winnipeg strives to work collaboratively with members of the busking community to ensure that their performances follow best practices and established guidelines.

Examples of Busking

  • Acting or reciting
  • Singing
  • Pantomime
  • Clowning
  • Ballooning
  • Juggling
  • Magic performance
  • Comedy performance
  • Dancing
  • Playing instruments, radios or other devices used to produce or reproduce sound.

Responsibility of the Busker

Buskers are encouraged to be aware of best practices and established guidelines. Download the City of Winnipeg's A Guide to Busking in Winnipeg: Guidelines for Street Entertainment brochure for more information.

Location

Buskers are responsible for ensuring that their performance does not obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic. Please consult the Streets By-law for more information.

Public Risk or Danger

A street performance must not pose a danger or risk of any kind to the public.

Equipment should not be left unattended at any time. Buskers are also not permitted to plug into public or private power outlets, nor are buskers permitted to leave power cords unattended.

Buskers are equally responsible for ensuring that no public or private property is damaged as a result of a performance.

Please consult the Streets By-law for more information.

Noise

Buskers must adhere to the noise regulations in Part Five of the Neighbourhood Liveability By-law, in addition to the noise regulations in the Parks By-Law if performing in a City-run park.

Applicable Permits

Buskers who wish to conduct business, i.e. sell recordings, must apply for a Use of Street Permit and comply with the conditions thereof. Please consult Public Works - Permits for more information.

Donations and Vending

Buskers are allowed to solicit donations from the public, but are not permitted to do so in a manner which causes an obstruction. Please consult the Obstructive Solicitation By-law for more information.

Buskers who wish to conduct business, i.e. sell recordings, must apply for a Use of Street Permit and comply with the conditions thereof.

By-Laws

Certain by-laws are being enforced to ensure that busking continues to be a valued art form in Winnipeg, including the Neighbourhood Liveability By-law, the Obstructive Solicitation By-law, the Streets By-law, and the Parks By-Law.

Other Resources

For a guide to busking, please consult the City of Winnipeg's A Guide to Busking in Winnipeg: Guidelines for Street Entertainment brochure.

For more information, please contact 311.

Last update: March 19, 2018

Was this information helpful?

How can we make this web page better?

Information collected will be used to improve our website. Do not use this form to submit a request for service or information because it will not be forwarded to departments for response. To submit a request for service or information, contact 311.

This form is not intended to collect personal information; however, any personal information you choose to include in your comments is collected by the City of Winnipeg under the authority of section 36(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the purpose of improving our website and will not be used or disclosed for any other purposes, except as authorized by law. Contact the Corporate Access and Privacy Officer by mail (City Clerk’s Department, Susan A. Thompson Building, 510 Main Street, Winnipeg MB, R3B 1B9) or by telephone (311) if you have any questions about the collection of this information.

Ces renseignements sont-ils utiles?

Comment pourrait-on améliorer cette page Web?

Les renseignements recueillis serviront à l’amélioration de notre site Web. Prière de ne pas se servir de ce formulaire pour soumettre une demande de service ou de renseignements, car la demande ne sera pas transmise au service en question. Pour soumettre une demande de service ou de renseignements, veuillez communiquer avec le 311.

Le présent formulaire ne vise pas à recueillir des renseignements personnels. Cependant, les renseignements personnels que vous choisissez d’inclure dans vos commentaires sont recueillis par la Ville de Winnipeg en conformité avec l’alinéa 36(1)b) de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information et la protection de la vie privée dans le but d’améliorer son site Web et ne seront ni utilisés ni divulgués pour d’autres raisons, sauf dans les cas où cela est autorisé par la loi. Communiquez avec l’agent de l’accès à l’information et de la protection de la vie privée de la Ville par courrier au Bureau du greffier, immeuble Susan-A.-Thompson, 510, rue Main, Winnipeg (Manitoba) R3B 1B9, ou par téléphone au 311 si vous avez des questions sur la collecte de ces renseignements.