(ARIZONA) You wouldn't think Arizona would have come this far - but Downtown Phoenix, Inc. thinks the time is right. Lo and behold, there's music and performing where there once was none. It seems the desert southwest has caught the busker bug.

From flea markets to sporting events to outdoor malls, there are buskers plying their trade and free to now express themselves artistically. The times - they are a changin'.

And why not? Making a more vibrant community can only enhance revenue for the cities thru increased sales in shops and restaurants.

The atmosphere is rhythmically changing into something we can all appreciate when we try. Add a dash of interviews and you've got a nice recipe for explaining Busker Nation.

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(NEW ZEALAND) Often it's happenstance. Every now and then, though, you've become part of something more organised. Invercargill this weekend has a welcome taste of that, with the inaugural Southland Buskers Festival, a satellite event from the recently concluded World Buskers Festival in Christchurch.

In Queens Park, Wachner Place, and a raft of other venues, world-class performers, are disporting themselves in a host of implausible entertainments.

We have a contortionists and escapologists, acrobats, a strong-woman, a slackrope master, a guy who torments his face with rubber bands, a living angel statue, and we shudder to think what else.

Check it out

(WWW) Let us now review the 12 Golden Rules of Busking and street-performing lest we get sidetracked displaying good performances.This time around, we find ourselves re-examining our environment to see if there's any room for improvement. But before we go any further, lets us remember the one Golden rule that spans all spiritualities across the globe. This is probably the best advice you'll receive in your lifetime.

"You’ll get drunks, nutters, thieves, pensioners informing you that you suck and hoodies gobbing in your case. Take it all on the chin. If you get heckled, laugh it off. If you get robbed, don’t chase them. Dealing with borderline psychopaths is an invaluable lesson for anyone hoping to further their career."

Ain't it the truth... ...

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(MINNESOTA) The fair city of Minneapolis is now paying buskers and street performers to add culture to the downtown area.Thanks to the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (DID), streets will be more vibrant as the city encourages entertainers rather than shooing them away.

The DID Street Show pays performers $50 an hour (more if you have a duo or trio act) in addition to whatever they make in tips.

The downtown organization felt that the busking scene could get a boost by offering entertainers a guaranteed payment.

In Minneapolis, busking is legal as long as performers are on public property, don’t obstruct traffic and don’t violate noise ordinances.

But even a great artist can be met with indifference when trying to coax hurried pedestrians to stop, listen and open their wallets.

For more information on ...

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(DENVER) What was once America's largest busker festival has risen from the ashes to entertain and educate the masses. Recently renovated, Union Station is the historic main railway station and central transportation hub built in 1894. It boasts an eclectic array of the city's top restaurants, bars, and shops in addition to The Crawford Hotel.As tourists got off the trains, they were greeted with buskers and street performers mid-act. Energy flowed between the streets, sidewalks, stations and parks creating a place where people naturally gravitated, connected, and wanted to be.

Jugglers, stilt-walkers, hula-hoopers, pole-climbers, fire-twirlers, oriental drummers, guitarists and more were among the chosen to represent this version of Denver's famed buskerfest.

Coverage by Busker Central reporters...

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