Pilot project will bring buskers downtown
JOHN LAW
A new pilot project will allow buskers to perform in downtown Niagara Falls after paying a licensing fee. City council approved the initiative at Tuesday’s meeting, giving the green light for musicians to audition for select spots on Queen Street. The fee will be $10 for 2017, because the project is starting midway through the year. It rises to $25 next year. Performers will be expected to follow a code of conduct, and not perform any questionable material. They must be over 18 years of age and provide a police background check. Performers can only perform at designated sites. The project stems from efforts by the Arts, Culture & Museum Committee to amend the city’s longstanding bylaw prohibiting buskers on city-owned property. The committee pitched the initiative to the city’s other BIAs, but only the Downtown BIA showed an interest.
While the project will give priority to musicians the first year, all types of street performance will be considered afterwards. Performers cannot interfere with traffic flow, exceed noise by-laws, and will have curfews depending on location.
Local guitarist Steve Kostyk, a board member with the Niagara Region Musicians Association, says while the project opens more opportunities for buskers, the union would prefer to see them be paid an “an appropriate base wage” instead of relying solely on tips.
“Relying on tips only can be a slippery slope for the musician,” he says. “Comparisons with busker programs in cities like Toronto are unfair. Toronto-licensed buskers are largely exposed to thousands of contributors daily. Such is not the case in this particular program here in Niagara Falls.”
While the busker program shows general support for musicians, it doesn’t display “any sense of commitment to evolution of the music industry portion of the arts community in a substantive manner. Especially in terms of stimulating real paying opportunities for musicians.”
Last year, concerns by local musicians forced council to raise the rate of pay for Farmers Market performances from $50 to $100 for one hour.
But singer Christie Hails of Niagara Falls band Battered Egos says the more music on the streets, the better. She says her busker friends seem “very happy” to pay a small fee for essentially a business license.
“I think artists should have the choice and freedom to perform how they like too,” she says. “If they want to rock a corner and bring smiles to passing pedestrians, then why not?
“It would be fun to see some out in the city hall area during busy times. All performances help the (music) scene overall.”