STREET ARTISTS IN EUROPE - Fondazione Fitzcarraldo

6.3. Operators
6.3.1. The size and scale of street shows
6.3.1.1. Types of shows
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Street Artists in Europe
There is an extremely large variety of scales and types of show on the street festival circuit;
many different art forms are used separately and together. Of the festivals having an off
programme, the biggest proportions of off shows are circus. See section on street arts aesthetics
1.5 and Anne-Karine Granger’s reports in Annex 2.
There is a clear division in types of street performances. The majority of shows are clearly
“entertainment” pieces. The aim of this kind of show is to appeal to everyone. Other shows are
much more theatrical and may be very large scale, needing to take place in spaces removed from
the milling public. Some feel very like “theatre without walls”, others use the surrounding
environment or architecture very deliberately to enhance the effect of their message. Into this
category may also be added small intimate shows that are hidden in quieter spaces and use
unusual spaces and buildings. In many peoples’ opinions, there are not enough of these
contemporary experiences.
In addition to performance work, there are a growing number of companies from a visual arts
tradition that are finding outlets through the street arts festival circuit. Festivals commission
artists to create environments, decorations, temporary outdoor sculptures and interactive games,
light and soundscapes.
6.3.1.2. Range of data
The questionnaires asked respondents how many street companies exist in their country. Many
had no idea, or directed us to their cultural ministry (who also did not know in many cases).
Some claimed that the number fluctuates rapidly with variable funding, several claimed that it
was hard to know what was to be included 83 . There was also not a clear distinction between
professional and amateur companies, especially as many young groups work in other fields, in
order to be able to earn a living. Numbers varied from no professional companies or only
amateur, to 1,000 professional companies in France. An astonishing variation for one small
continent, which shows how much work there is to be done.
The questionnaires asked respondents how many street arts shows had been created in 2005. Not
surprisingly there was very little information – the majority of respondents claimed they had no
idea, some from the same country ‘guessed’ with sometimes very different results (Belgium: 3-5
to Portugal: 400).
The Anne Tucker’s survey looked at the prices paid for shows of different scales (2005 prices).
Programmers were asked to give the ‘range of costs’ they might pay per show for small-scale,
medium-scale or large-scale work. Several people objected on principle to this question 84 .
Nevertheless, the responses ranged from:
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‘Here is a question: What is a professional street art company? Is there a certain level of training or education,
or practical experience or just the fact that you get your living out of your art?’ (Artists, Slovenia – interview).
84 Comments ranged from ‘This is impossible, it varies every year’, ‘We choose shows we want rather than
spending our budgets mathematically’, ‘Every show is unique’, ‘The range is huge’, ‘They all depend on the
PE 375.307