On the afternoon of Sunday 19.04, street musicians received a €300 fine at the New Waterfront of Thessaloniki, in front of the White Tower.
As became known, the problem was not their music, but the use of amplifiers and a microphone, something which is now prohibited by the Municipality, after many complaints, especially for the waterfront.
In the end, the fine will be revoked, as it was imposed on them without a prior warning.
After the abolition of the law on “begging”*, musicians can now legally practice their art freely, in the street and in Public spaces.
However, the Authorities can “issue you a fine” for a series of other violations, such as disturbing public peace, noise pollution, occupation of public space, or obstruction of pedestrians.
*In 2018, begging as an offense was abolished, after the uproar caused by the detention of a street musician in Thessaloniki.
“The absence of a regulatory framework means that street musicians will be faced with the risk of fines being imposed,” the Municipality of Athens stated in communication with us.
“However, if the decibels* are within permitted limits, quiet hours are not violated, and public space is not encroached upon, the risk of a fine being imposed is minimized,” it continues.
*For businesses it is 80 decibels in an enclosed space and 35 decibels in an open space.
“For this reason, a regulatory framework that will define all of the above is necessary and as a Municipality we intend to run it with the competent bodies*,” the Municipality of Athens stated.
*Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Citizen Protection, Region of Attica
In most European cities, for someone to play music in the street and receive voluntary money is usually legal, but it is subject to municipal rules.
There is no unified European law, each municipality or area has its own regulations.
Usually it is allowed when the musician operates as a street artist, that is, offers an artistic service and citizens leave a voluntary tip.
London: the rules for street musicians differ by borough, as in certain central areas a permit is required, while the London Underground has a separate licensing system.
Paris: for music in the metro/RER a special permit is required from RATP, while for public spaces permits are given by the Municipalities.
Berlin: there are rules regarding noise and permits that differ by area, while in metro or train stations a permit is required from the managing companies.
