BULADH BUSK, a day long busk-a-thon organised by the Galway Buskers’ Community takes place this Saturday, February 16, from 10am to 10pm, for what is being called "a positive protest" against the Galway City Council’s re-proposed busking bye-laws.
The Galway Buskers Community is opposed to the proposed bye-laws, arguing that the community was not consulted at any stage. "We were ignored throughout the process," a spokesperson for the group said. "We already have our own Buskers’ Guide to Galway and voluntary code of conduct which we invited the council to support with us — instead of making expensive laws to enforce against us.
"Some on the council have said a volunteer code of conduct won’t work, yet we can show near 100 per cent compliance with our code, which assumes the best of our community - as opposed to the proposed bye-laws which assume the worst."The original bye-laws were revoked due to a technicality, but have been re-submitted, hence Bualadh Busk. Buskers are calling on the public and fellow performers to "watch, listen, and join in". There will be an information table available on the code of conduct, as well as the proposed bye-laws and a petition against them. There will also be information on how the public can make submissions on the bye-laws.
The city council’s proposed busking bye-laws are available to the public until March 1 with public submissions receivable until 4pm on March 8.
