Fringe brings in contactless tipping as it warns busking is dying
EDINBURGH Fringe has launched contactless tipping for street performers amid fears festival busking may die out as fewer people carry cash.
Street artists will carry special readers – allowing them to take fixedamount payments during the 25-day festival. The six “tap-to-tip” stations will be set up in the Royal Mile street events arena. It comes as a reaction to feedback showing a drop in the number of people carrying cash.
Olly Davies, head of marketing, PR and sponsorship at the festival, said busking, which relies on cash donations, may no longer be sustainable as fewer people carry change.
“We sat down with a number of street performers who reflected that if this continued at the rate it was going, it would become unsustainable,” Mr Davies said. “In another six or seven years, it risks dying out. We hope this will change things.”
Mr Davies added that street performers across the globe had experienced a year-on-year decline in cash tips. However, he hoped the new “tapto-tip” method would keep busking alive. Scott Hutchison, who performs under the name Super Scott, said: “Until now, I’ve relied on cash contributions from audiences and I have definitely noticed a dip as the number of people carrying cash has decreased.
“The introduction of contactless tipping at the Fringe is really exciting, future-proofing street performance and offering audiences an additional method of payment when showing their appreciation.”
The festival has partnered with izettle, a technology company, to become, according to the organisers, the world’s first contactless tipping festival.
Andy Meldrum, street events manager at the Fringe Society, added that artists relied on “the generosity of the public who stop to take in their shows when passing through our street event arenas”. He added: “While cash contributions have worked for street entertainers for hundreds of years, we need to respond to the changing circumstances, which are affecting street performers all over the world.”
The 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe begins on Aug 3.