As the City works to revise its busking bylaw, buskers challenge perceptions and stereotypes about their craft
“The City of Nanaimo is reviewing its street entertainer bylaws and considering changes to how and where buskers can perform. To some people buskers are street-level musicians—making an honest living with their talents. To others—they are just loud panhandlers who should be told to move along.” [Source: A Channel News, opens to YouTube]
The City says that the goal of the bylaw is to balance the interests of businesses, residents and those want to have music on Nanaimo’s streets. But buskers have launched an online Facebook page protesting the bylaw, which has been in place since 2004. Cathy Davis alleges arbitrary enforcement of the bylaw, while well-known busker Tim Lander (pictured above) was recently fined for playing in the wrong place at the wrong time, an incident which has raised awareness of the situation.
We speak with longtime busker and musician Cathy Davis.
