It was a sunny day in the middle of the summer. I had just finished my first month as a part-time street performer. As I sat on a park bench eating my lunch, it struck me that in only a month I had learned more about making money than most people learn in years.
I could have left it at that and gone on to make money from my newfound knowledge, but I felt compelled to share what I had learned with others. This is why I have created this blog: so that you too may learn how to make money performing on the streets.
How does one become a street performer?
It’s easier than you think! In fact, there are very few requirements for becoming a street performer. You need some sort of talent that people will actually pay to see, and you must be willing to work hard for your money. Also, since many cities require permits for this kind of work, you’ll want to check with the local authorities to see if there are any legal requirements you must meet before getting started (or if it is even legal at all).
Tips:
1) Always ask for tips after each performance. Even if they don’t tip you right away, they might later on when they have some cash handy. People often
Performing on the streets is an art form. It’s a fast-paced, competitive environment, and there are many things you can do to make yourself stand out from your competition.
Here are 5 tips for street performers that I have found to be very effective:
1. Make eye contact with people, smile and say “hello!” when they walk by.
2. Move around while performing — don’t stay in one place the entire time.
3. Get better at playing your instrument or honing your craft so you can sound great every time!
4. Be confident in yourself and what you’re doing…people will notice if they think there’s something wrong with how you’re performing (even if nothing is actually wrong).
5. Smile! Smiling is contagious; when people see someone else smiling, it makes them want to smile too 🙂
These tips should help any street performer become more successful at what they do!
If you’re like me, you may have seen a child dancing in the street to the tune of a squeaky balloon saxophone and wondered, “Is this what it means to be a street performer?”
Well, good news: anyone can be a street performer. But don’t expect people to just throw cash at you for your amazing balloon saxophone skills. Street performing is much more than that. It’s about entertaining and engaging with people in public spaces so that they get something from the experience, and perhaps feel compelled to donate at the end.
To do this well, here are five tips for you to consider about becoming a street performer:
Keep it simple
For me, keeping it simple was very important because I had no experience performing before. My first shows were completely improvised on the spot; I would just go out onto the streets and see what happened. It was scary. But after playing music on the streets for two years now, I’ve learned how important it is to keep things simple. This doesn’t mean that you can only play basic guitar chords or simple rhythms on drums though. What I mean is that if you’re going to improvise like I did, then make sure you know your basic skills inside out so that when you perform in front
Street performers are the unsung symbols of our urban culture. They are talented and hardworking, yet many don’t get the respect they deserve.
But in a world where anyone can be famous for 15 minutes, street performers can be famous for as long as they can keep people’s attention. And that is a very difficult thing to do in today’s short-attention-span world.
So, how does a street performer keep people interested? Here are 5 tips:
1. Be innovative
People have seen a lot of street performers, so it takes something really new to grab their attention. A performer who is not afraid to try something different is more likely to win an audience.
2. Be funny
Whether or not you’re actually performing comedy, the ability to make people laugh will always attract a crowd. But keep in mind that what might seem funny to you might not be funny to others, so it’s important to test your material on friends first and tweak it accordingly before taking it public.
3. Engage the audience
Involve the audience in your performance and they will be more likely to stay and watch your entire show. This can be as simple as involving one member of the audience in your act or asking others for suggestions that might
I’ve been performing on the streets for a long time. If you’re thinking of getting started, hopefully these tips will help you.
1. Perform on the street! It’s not as scary as it seems. You don’t need an expensive show to start with – all you need is something simple and short, around 5-20 minutes long, that you can perform over and over again. You can always improve your act, then take it out later when you’re more experienced.
2. Think about what makes your act unique and interesting. What’s going to make people want to stop and watch? The first thing they see should be interesting, so they’ll want to stick around and see what happens next. Remember: people like stories!
3. Have fun! People are watching you because they’re enjoying themselves too – so don’t forget that this is a performance, not an audition! And if you’re having fun, then your audience will have fun too!
4. Be professional at all times – this means being polite to everyone who watches your show, no matter how much money they give or don’t give (although if someone doesn’t give anything at all… well… try not to be too rude…)
5. Don’t start with a
It’s important to show up.
It’s important to be clear on what you want to get out of the performance. If it is money, make that clear, but don’t be pushy about it. If it is not money, then make it clear that you are just looking for exposure for your art and trying to break into the performance field, etc.
Practice! You need to know your act cold, especially if you are performing with a partner or a group.
Get an idea of what times and days are the best to perform before you commit to anything long-term. Do some research on foot traffic in the area. Talk to other performers and business owners in the area and ask them what they have found works best for them.
Know when you’re in over your head and need help or additional people on board.
1. Always be hustling
2. Choose the right spot
3. Setup and tear down quickly
4. Make clean money
5. Make a connection with your audience.