Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

Street performers are not just entertainers for money; they could be flowing exhibitions of art within urban settings. A number of Chinese cities have been exploring their own ways of structured management of busking other than seeing it as city irregularities.

Beijing's first set of performance permits were issued to 42 buskers recently in the city's Chaoyang district,mk the Beijing Daily reported on Monday. Starting New Year's Day in 2025, designated spaces like Liangma River, The Box Chaowai, Chaoyang Park, and Olympic Forest Park, which are often gathering places for young artists in the capital, will allow busking with certified street performers. 

Prior to Beijing's initiative, other Chinese cities like Shanghai, Chengdu in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, and Hangzhou in East China's Zhejiang Province had already implemented similar permit-based systems. These efforts transformed buskers from "underground" artists to legitimate contributors to public life. 

"This is progress," Luo Yameng, a Beijing-based senior urban management and planning expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday. "For thousands of years, street artists have brought energy and vitality to cities. Some street performances have also given birth to great art in traditional Chinese culture, such as Chinese crosstalk and Chinese acrobatics, so we should facilitate the legal recognition of street art performances and then gradually allow them to flourish."

Zhao Liujian, a nutritionist living in Hangzhou who loves to sing pop songs for passersby on the street, just got his street performance license this year. On the official license from the Hangzhou Association for Performing Arts, the performer's name and field of performance are clearly marked.

Zhao told the Global Times on Tuesday that over 100 street performers in the city have obtained licenses this year, an increase over 2023. After certification, they can perform for free and also for tips or get paid for commercial performances.

"To get permission, we need to first pass an examination. Judges evaluate our performances," said Zhao.

Beijing's certified street performers were also selected by experts from various artistic fields to ensure that they can present innovative works with high artistic value to citizens, according to the report.

In Zhao's view, the legal recognition of the license provides more space and guarantees the growth of street art in an urban environment, and at the same time, street art can turn into a medium through which cities tell their stories, connect with residents and enhance their cultural atmosphere.

Providing space for growth, legitimacy, and support for street performers is a reflection of a city's cultural maturity. As these cities transform streets into stages, it is not only supporting the growth of individual artists but also enriching the city's collective spirit.

Issuing permits is just the beginning of a broader effort to normalize and integrate street art into urban life. While street performances add vibrancy to urban spaces, they could also disrupt public order if not properly managed, so a long-term perspective that combines regulation with support and ensures that street performers are not merely tolerated but actively encouraged to enrich public spaces should be further taken into consideration.

Cities worldwide have demonstrated that successful street art scenes thrive under structured systems. For instance, Barcelona's La Rambla, a vibrant hub of street art and performances, enforces strict regulations, such as limiting performance noise levels to 65 decibels. These rules ensure that performers can coexist harmoniously with businesses, residents, and tourists, creating a well-regulated yet lively atmosphere. And in high-traffic areas like Covent Garden in London, performers must audition to secure spots, ensuring quality but potentially excluding less-established artists.

Similarly, Chinese cities can strike the right balance through various potential measures such as noise limits, designated performance zones, and time restrictions to establish a dynamic yet orderly street art culture, according to Luo.

Due to the complexity of urban environments, how to adapt street performances properly also requires tailored solutions to support them without compromising a venue's primary function.

Zhao said that he often chooses to perform beside a large-scale shopping mall where there is a lot of foot traffic, while some street performers prefer singing or dancing near well-known scenic areas such as the West Lake, drawing the attention of numerous tourists. Each type of urban space - be it a commercial hub, a cultural plaza, or an art center - has its own unique characteristics and challenges. 

For instance, in shopping districts, shop owners may view street performers as either a benefit that can attract foot traffic or a hindrance that might block storefronts or compete for attention. Therefore, managing these relationships is critical to gaining support from local businesses. Public spaces like parks often have a more relaxed atmosphere, but performances still need to be managed to avoid overcrowding or excessive noise that could disturb other visitors.  

Art can blossom from the soil. Encouraging street performers to innovate  a legal and regulated stage for them is a win-win measure for both the artists and the development of cities.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. [email protected]