Performing in Italy

[Markus]

Hi,

in September, I want to travel to Italy - how about performing (magic and juggling) in italy ? How about the police ? Are you arrested very quickly or is it allowed to play the streets there ? Any special pitches/locations/cities where it is allowed/not allowed ? Thanks for your help...

Markus

[Stormy Knight]

I've only just hit Italy. I'm in Venice now. Technically you need a street performing license, but you can get one free at the Office for Arte di Estrada. Performing is allowed everywhere except for a few isolated areas and Campo San Marco, which is unfortunately where the big money is. Depending on the size of your show and what you want to risk, it could be worth it anyway...

I had some disagreements with the authorities about whether I can use fire, I haven't got an official wording on it. I always figure it's better to apologize than ask permission....


Best of luck, where are you planning to be?

Silas Knight

[T B]

I work in Italy a lot (but not much street). The Police are fairly easy and the laws are unclear so you can get away with most things. It is definitely illegal to pitch wares so you will have trouble if you normaly sell CDs etc. In theory that is also a problem when you pass the hat but the police in most places are easy as long as you don't cause a disturbance. They are more likely to stop you if they don't like your show!
In the bigger towns there are permits to be asked for: check with the "Comune" (town council) or "Vigili Urbane" (Street police). Say that you are an Artista di Strada.
I agree with the apologise rather than ask tactic. If you are pleasant you can get away with almost anything.

[AJJames]

Ahh Italy .........cappuccino, gelati, pizzas, and gorgeous people.
oh and getting arrested for performing, yes I remember now,
to any one in Italy or thinking of going, I have worked Milano, venice, verona, padua, bassano, garda, gerona, torino, como, firenze (florence),and a few more ...I never worked Rome but i usually find capital cities unpleasant , milano was the worst and florence was the only place that the authorities were on side, my advice is if you don't mind doing a hit and run tour of italy you can work anywhere , go to the regional tourist information and get a list of the fiestas in the region you're in.
However if you get sick and tired of being chased from town to town by the police and you need somewhere you're not just tollerated but encouraged , florence is the best place I found if you can stand all those Japanese and American tourists shopping for versace and gucci bull shit.
AJ's top 5 do's and don'ts of Italian life,

DO

Be a tourist even if though you're working, Go to art galleries even if you don't think it's your bag, I didn't go to any and I regrett it

Find out when small town fiestas and saints days are, I did I don't regrett it.

Your show in Italian

try and get italian girls to kiss and touch each other while you watch and maybe join in...

DON'T

get Fucked by the auto stradas (pay roads) they are a right rip off!

fuck with the mafia!

fuck with the police!

pay for a gondala ride in Venice!

let any of the relatives of the two seventeen year old bi-curious girls you shagged find out, this is easier said than done as Italian girls tend to have on average 12 brothers and approxiamatel 2000 cousins all willing and able to cut your balls off with a rusty razor blade.so if you want to taste la doce vita, my advice is be discreet , very discreet!

[Tony Clifton Circus]

About Italy.... I am American in Italy working hat and gigs since 3 and a half years. In 3 years I have been stopped 3 times by the police. Mostly for logical reasons like blocking the whole street. (but I am a woman which works miracles on the italian masculine half). It is better not to ask permission from the authorities, if they stop you, if you show you are nice and relaxed, it is often they let you do a show. The police are much more human and not caught up in power trips like some other countries.
For gigs, it works much more on word of mouth than publicity. If you are able to get the first contracts and make a good effect on the other artists, work is almost certain. The world of street artists is rather small and everybody knows everybody. New shows are generally grabbed up quickly. The best period for contracts is obviously the summer, best to come in May or June to get the start of the season.
Italy, good place to work, friendly, curious, public. Good food....