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Street Performing in Bern, Switzerland by Simon Westly

If you are thinking of a street performing career in Europe then make sure you gain the appropriate permit and stick to the rules of that city. Recently, I discovered a number of rules and regulations for street performing in Bern.

Street performances are allowed without a permit if you only perform sporadically and do not actively collect money for your performance (so no walking around after your performance with a hat). It seems placing a hat or open instrument on the ground which allows onlookers to make contributions is permitted.

The Bern City Council has drawn up some regulations which you must abide by. You are not allowed to perform on Sundays (which, to many buskers can be their most successful day), in the underground passageways of the railway station and between the hours of 2pm-5pm Monday to Friday in the areas of Spitalgasse (including West Side of Loeb store), Markgasse, Bärenplatz and Waisenhausplatz.

It seems musicians have their own restrictions which include no performances before the 11am every day however, on Saturday is before 10am and after 11pm each night except for Thursday night which is after 10pm. Also, you cannot perform near churches during religious services.

Some additional regulations include only performing for a maximum of 30 minutes in one place. You cannot obstruct pedestrians, moving traffic and no amplifiers.
For more information visit the City Police at City Polizeiinspektorat der Stadt Bern, Predigergasse 5, office No. 105 or the city tourist office.

If you plan to street perform in another other city around the world check any rules and regulations first. You may get off with a warning the first time but the second time you may not be so lucky.

Happy street performing!

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