Following the success of Trading Places Footpath Activation Initiative Trial, Council no longer charges fees for the use of Footpaths by Busker and Community Group bookings.
Council’s goal is to make footpaths more colourful, lively, entertaining and interesting to create more vibrancy on the street to attract people to stop, look and linger for longer.
The most popular forms of busking are singing or playing a musical instrument; however there are many other types of busking performances such as dancing, juggling, puppetry, miming, magic or living statue acts.
Busking does not include activities such as begging, advertising, promotion of or sale of goods, political rallying, religious spruiking, artists displays and face or body painting and are therefore not allowed.
Council manages busking that occurs in public spaces with
5 designated sites pre-approved for bookings. Council does not look after busking that occurs on private property.
If you are a performer and would like to busk in a public space or a Community group wishing to hold a stall, you must apply for approval and abide by the
Terms and Conditions.
Yes. Council issues a confirmation of registration for busking, allowing to perform only in designated sites after booking via an online booking portal.
Register yourself in our online booking portal and create bookings. Buskers and Community Groups will need to read the Terms and Conditions prior to completing their booking.
A copy of your Certificate of Currency for Public Liability insurance will need to be included in your registration and you will be required to supply a new copy upon the expiry of your insurance each year. Once completed, you will be able to add the dates and times in the locations you are wishing to book.
If you are under the age of 18 and wishing to busk you must have parental/legal guardian consent. A busker must also be over the age of 12.
No. There are no fees or charged associated with the booking of designated sites for busking or Community Group stalls.
No. Buskers are not required to audition prior to or after a registration. Council reserves the right to withdraw or refuse a registration at any time if the Terms and Conditions are not followed.
Council has allocated 5 sites within the Local Government Area (LGA) that buskers and community groups are able to book.
To busk or hold a stall outside one of the designated areas a request will need to be submitted
in writing to Council specifying the exact location for determination by Council.
- Site 1* - City Square, Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour Site
- Site 2**- City Square, Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour
- Site 3 - 38 First Avenue, Sawtell
- Site 4 - Cnr of Beach and Nightingale Streets, Woolgoolga
- Site 5 - Cnr of Beach and Nightingale Streets, Woolgoolga
*Busking only **Community Group Only
Council only manages Busking and Community Group stalls on Council-owned or managed areas, such as footpaths. If you wish to busk or book a site at a shopping centre you will need to get permission from the shopping centre management.
Please note: The laneway situated next to Woolworths in Park Avenue is not a designated busking/community group stall site. This area’s function is a bus stop and thoroughfare and has been deemed not appropriate for site bookings.
Buskers can book a site for a maximum of 3 hours, with a maximum of 3 bookings per week in one site.
Community Groups stalls can book a site for a maximum of 6 hours with a maximum of 3 bookings per annum in one site.
You can report this by
contacting Council via email or phoning on (02) 6648 4000.
Please provide detailed information (including photos if possible) so Council can take the appropriate action.
Public Liability Insurance is designed for professionals who interact with customers or members of the public. It protects against claims of personal injury or property damage that a third party suffers (or claims to have suffered) as a result of your business activities.
Buskers and Community Group stall holders must obtain their own Public Liability Insurance in the minimum amount of $5 million. You will need to provide a copy of your Public Liability Insurance Certificate with your Registration.
Yes. Council can issue on-the-spot fines of $220.00 for busking without approval or breaching the registration conditions. Council can also cancel an existing registration and/or refuse a new registration.
Yes. As part of Council’s Terms and Conditions Buskers under the age of 18 years must have parental/legal guardian consent and must be older than 12 years of age.
A community group is a type of group or organisation created to provide benefit to members of our local community. Not-For-Profit describes a group or organisation in which donations received are used in pursuing the organisation’s objectives and to keep the group running. Sites can be booked by these groups to promote information that will benefit the local community or raise money for members of the local community. This could include raffles for sporting clubs or other groups providing information for mental health awareness within the region.
Paid fundraising agencies seeking donations, including agencies that are working on behalf of a Not for Profit organisation are excluded from booking these sites. This decision has been made as our community finds these activities impact negatively on pedestrians, shoppers and local businesses. Please also refer to the Terms and Conditions.
