The Galway Street Performers Community have set up an online petition following the new busking by-laws that were passed by Mayor Pearce Flannery.
The Galway Streets Performers Community are petitioning against the new by-laws which passed in the council a little over three weeks ago.
After a 9-9 for/against vote at the city council meeting on Monday May 14, the new busking by-laws were passed by Mayor Pearce Flannery’s deciding vote.
“These by-laws, as currently written, not only ban all forms of amplification and circle acts including theatre, dance, sculpture, circus, acrobatics, clown, mime and magic from the protected streetscape before 6pm but they ban all busking after 11pm.
“The by-laws ban drum kits, completely restrict the freedom of expression, force buskers to stop if they draw a crowd and interfere with the way buskers queue.
“The by-laws will put most of our community off the streets, out of work and by extension, drive many vibrant, gifted, diverse performers out of our city.
“We are particularly concerned at the last-minute amendments made to the draft by-laws that had been the subject of the public consultation process/
“These amendments, such as a ban on amps before 6pm, were not the subject of public consultation and need to be removed immediately.
“We are calling on Galway City Councillors to withdraw support for the by-laws, to direct Galway City Council to undertake a new public consultation process on the final draft and to be informed by the results of the consultation process.”
The Galway Buskers & Street Performers community are also planning to legally challenge the busking by-laws.
To show that you support The Galway Buskers & Street Performers you can sign the petition here.
