A guitar and a permit
Burlington musicians have to pay to play

Matt Divenere | staff writer
mdivenere@smcvt.edu

Walking on Church Street in downtown Burlington, one hears and sees many things that make Church Street what it is.  The smell of the countless restaurants, the warm smiling faces of the college students walking by and the music that fills the air.  The musicians who play that music have more to them than meets the eye. 

More than just pocket change

A musician plucks his six-string on a Church Street bench. Larry Frisoli, photo

“Great entertainment adds an element of liveliness to Church Street,” says Mimi Gutchell, director of permits for the Church Street Marketplace. 

For many years, the Church Street Marketplace has regulated musicians by enforcing a rule that only those with permits are allowed to play to the public.  This permit includes many rules and regulations, not only creating a positive place for the public to enjoy, but also giving the musicians a safe environment to play in, according to the Church Street Marketplace Web site.  

To obtain a permit, performers must audition in front of a panel.  The panel will ultimately tell you whether or not you are allowed to receive a permit to play on Church Street, Gutchell says.

“The percentage of people who actually get turned down during these auditions is very small,” Gutchell says. 

The audition is a one-time deal made by appointment and has only been a part of the permit process for three years.  If you get accepted by the panel, you no longer need to do the audition again for as long as you perform on Church Street.  If the panel denies you, you are able to attempt as many times as you would like, Gutchell says. 

Some of the regulations include how many musicians can be on Church Street at once, how long each musician can play on a block per week, and when they are allowed to play. 

The fees for the permit range from a $5 one-day playing pass to a $10 weekend pass. However, Gutchell says that if you play five times without causing any problems or complaints from the store owners, you qualify as a Church Street musician for the year; you just have to pay $25. 

Liking the sound of that

St. Michael’s College juniors Alex Furdon and Denis Lemanski support what the Church Street Marketplace is attempting with the permits. 

Musician playing in front of a walking crowd. Larry Frisoli, photo

“I believe that it’s a great thing that Church Street makes its performers audition before playing on the street," Lemanski says. "It’s a lot better to have talented musicians playing rather than just anybody.”

Furdon says:“Because the musicians have to go through a process with the audition and then obtaining the permit, they show that they mean business and they aren’t going to abuse the permit by fooling around."

With their support however, comes an issue with the fee that the permit holds. 

“After going through the audition, I don’t believe that you should pay a fee,” Furdon says.  “Because it’s an open venue, the music should be free.”

The Church Street Marketplace is well aware that musicians try to sneak their way past the permit idea.  The police and members of the Church Street staff check all entertainers on Church Street for permits.  However, the police and staff are not searching the street for trouble, Gutchell says.

“We also have a lot of people coming up to us and recommending people for permits," she says. " If the musician is on Church Street illegally we’ll come up to them and inform them about process to get a permit and encourage them to audition."

It’s Here to Stay

The permits needed by the musicians are here to stay.  The permits, however, do not have the intentions of discouraging musicians from playing on Church Street because of the key role music has in the area, Gutchell says. 

A man plays his banjo for some pocket change. Larry Frisoli, photo

“A lot of hidden talent is out there trying to make its way to the public ear," she says. " If we can find that talent and have it be a local talent as well, it helps the atmosphere of Church Street."

For more information on obtaining a permit and the regulations involved, visit the Church Street Marketplace Web site; go to the Site Map and click on Licenses and Permits.