Is there money in street performing?

The Darkroom

I'm not just talking about busking with a guitar but the other street performers who just stand there like statues. Do they actually make anything?

GBX

Some of them make cakes. Or balloon animals. Those are my faves. Although cant beat an oul victoria sponge

Boom_Bap

I knew a Puppeteer that used to perform on Grafton Street, he used to work for an hour or 2 on Saturday and Sunday and that covered his expenses for accommodation, food and to pay his rent and bills back home.


Any other day that he worked was money towards traveling and social life. His traveling would also give him an opportunity to perform in different cities and earn money there also.


I seen him counting his earnings, it nearly took him longer to count the cash than the work that he done.


I also new the Yellow Man from Grafton Street. He was one of the performers that strike a pose for hours on end. He didn't make much money in comparison to the puppet guy. But for him it wasn't about that, it was the spiritual side and practicing Buddhism.

mfceiling

Boom_Bap wrote: »

I knew a Puppeteer that used to perform on Grafton Street, he used to work for an hour or 2 on Saturday and Sunday and that covered his expenses for accommodation, food and to pay his rent and bills back home.


Any other day that he worked was money towards traveling and social life. His traveling would also give him an opportunity to perform in different cities and earn money there also.


I seen him counting his earnings, it nearly took him longer to count the cash than the work that he done.


I also new the Yellow Man from Grafton Street. He was one of the performers that strike a pose for hours on end. He didn't make much money in comparison to the puppet guy. But for him it wasn't about that, it was the spiritual side and practicing Buddhism.

Was he the guy that used to make the little wooden puppet fellow climb up on peoples shoulders and fall down at the smell of their feet?
My kids used to be in stitches laughing at him. When you went to put money in his box he would make the puppet sit on it so you couldn't throw the money in!!

Boom_Bap

mfceiling wrote: »

Was he the guy that used to make the little wooden puppet fellow climb up on peoples shoulders and fall down at the smell of their feet?
My kids used to be in stitches laughing at him. When you went to put money in his box he would make the puppet sit on it so you couldn't throw the money in!!

That's the one.

o1s1n

What do you plan on doing with the sword OP?

branie2

Busking

My memory is getting weird with old age. But I remember there was an Ozzie guy who used to dress up as something on Grafton Street and he made a lot of money. I had a beer with him. He was astoundingly nice guy too. But I recall he was paying for bed and board and a few beers and a tame social life solely off the back of this work.

This is like 22 years ago.

Now for the life of me I can not remember what it was he was actually dressed up as. I just recall it was just hilarious at the time. I have a weird feeling it was a kind of Tree or something to do with Trees.

That is vague as hell I know - but the After Hours Hive Mind has come up with definitive answers on less information than that before

Glen Hansard talks of his busking days though and I remember him telling me that a _good_ day was if he could afford to buy himself and the girlfriend a guinness each and a bag of chips on the way home. So that does not sound overly profitable.

Del2005

The Darkroom wrote: »

I'm not just talking about busking with a guitar but the other street performers who just stand there like statues. Do they actually make anything?

Even the people sitting with the torn McDs cup make money, some have nice houses and cars.

The Darkroom

o1s1n wrote: »

What do you plan on doing with the sword OP?

It's just an ornament as part of the act and won't be swinging it around doing any kind of martial arts or anything of the sort.

cruizer101

Boom_Bap wrote: »

That's the one.

To be fair he was one of the better street performers so I'd say he would be the upper end.
Still it can't be too bad as there are some of the standing still guys who have been doing it for a long time so must be making ok money to stick at it.

freshpopcorn

You should get enough for a chicken fillet roll!

BrokenArrows

Yes you can make money and live off it. A cousin did it.

However you are not going to be rolling in cash. Basically lucky to live a slightly above minimum wage lifestyle on average. Obviously you will have the odd exception who makes a good living at it, and also the other end of the spectrum with old Jimmy playing the spoons.

Most of them travel to other countries during the Irish winter.

TuringBot47

The Darkroom wrote: »

...but the other street performers who just stand there like statues.

The guards outside the GPO?

Outlaw Pete

Hothouse Flowers, Hansard, Mic Christopher all busked but wouldn't say there'd be too much money in it in and of itself.

In saying that, I did buy a CD off Allie Sherlock as a Christmas gift for someone as I think she has a great voice. She's only 13 as far as I know too. Always draws a crowd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjmk6YMWbQg