Last Updated 4/12/2024
Street performers bring life to the streets and corners of Adelaide. Adelaide Fringe offers the opportunity for local and international street performers, buskers, and entertainers to captivate and WOW audiences. Busking locations include East End Unleashed and Rundle Mall, which are organised by the East End Unleashed busking team, seperate to Adelaide Fringe - Register for East End Unleashed (Road Closures) through the application form here.
Table of Contents
Getting Started
✱ How to Register
✱ I'm Registered. What's Next? - East End Unleashed Registration Form, Permits & Visa Assistance
✱ What does registration include?
✱ Glossary of Terms
Locations
✱ Rundle Mall
✱ East End Unleashed - Rundle Street Road Closures
✱ Councils
✱ Getting Started
How to Register
If you have registered as a Street Performer with Adelaide Fringe in the past, you should be able to apply from your AVR My Festival homepage. If you cannot see the application link, ensure your profile settings are correct. You can do this by:
1. Logging into AVR
2. Click Your Name - found at the bottom left hand corner of the screen
3. Click Profile
4. In the Profile, scroll down to activities, and select Street Performer
5. On the My Festival page, the application form to register as a street performer should now be viewable.
I'm Registered. What's Next?
Once you are registered, there are a few more steps to ensure you're all set up for an amazing season.
1. Apply for East End Unleashed
The East End Unleashed program welcomes street performers to perform on the bustling Rundle Street during the street's weekend road closures. East End Unleashed is managed by a busking team who take applications seperately to Adelaide Fringe. Please apply via the East End Unleashed (Road Closures) application form. Please note, applicants must be accepted before arriving in Adelaide and applications will not be accepted after the festival has started.
2. Apply for a busking permit
A City of Adelaide Busking Permit is required for Rundle Mall busking. Apply for a free permit
3. Visa Assistance
If you require visa assistance, please register, than fill out our Letter of Support form emailed to you. We will send back your letter of support, along with our ACNC charity register document, & our 408 Visa Application Guide. In the meantime, please read our Visa Assistance & International Travel resource on AVR for everything you need to get your application started.
What does registration include?
✱ Visa Support
If you are an international artist coming over for Adelaide Fringe, our Artist and Venue team can help guide you through the visa process:
Adelaide Fringe will provide a Letter of Support required as part of the visa application process. Adelaide Fringe is a registered ACNC charity, which means if accepted your visa application fee will be waived. Access to the FringeWORKS support team, including the Visa Coordinator who can help answer any tricky visa application questions.
✱ FringeWORKS
You’ll be able to visit our FringeWORKS hub during the season, to chill out & chat with fellow artists. Fringe Staff will be on site to answer any queries you may have about your upcoming season.
✱ Performance Opportunities
With your permission we will pass your information onto councils, activations and shows eager to engage with street performers during the Fringe season.
✱ Eligible for the Adelaide Fringe Awards Program
New in 2025 - Stay tuned for more info!
Glossary of Terms
Pitch - A term used to describe a performance location. There are different types of pitches, e.g Circle Pitches are for professional busking shows with a beginning, middle and end which holds a crowd and collects money.
Draw / Ballot / Lottery - This refers to the process of how performance locations get chosen. Works similarly to putting your name down, and locations and times being randomly drawn and decided
✱ How It Works
Rundle Mall
Opportunities to busk in Rundle Mall are available everyday Monday - Sunday. This is run by the City of Adelaide busking team, seperate from Adelaide Fringe.
Locations Available
Circle Pitches - 2 pitches for both Circle/Alcove acts
Music Pitches - 2 pitches for Music Acts
Silent Pitch - 1 pitch for Silent Acts
Note: number of pitches may vary during the week
The Draw
Music & Silent pitches in Rundle Mall will draw at 10am every day at Gawler Place.
Circle pitches in Rundle Mall will draw at 10am Mon - Thursday at Gawler Place, for shows on Mon - Thurs.
Circle pitches in Rundle Mall for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays will draw at 4:30pm Each Thursday of the festival at Hindmarsh Square. You will need to register with East End Unleashed for these.
A City of Adelaide Busking Permit is required. Apply for a free permit here.
East End Unleashed - Rundle Street Road Closures
Opportunities to busk are available Fri/Sat/Sun evenings each weekend of the festival. This is run by the City of Adelaide busking team, seperate from Adelaide Fringe.
Locations Available
Circle Pitches: Frome & East Terrace intersections
Alcove pitch: Union St (in front of Exeter Hotel)
Music Pitch: 1 or 2 pitches, locations TBD. Usually Vardon Pl and Synagoge Pl.
Silent acts: No guarantee there will be a suitable pitch, talk to East End Unleashed
The Draw
Each Thursday of the festival at 4:30pm at Hindmarsh Square. This is to decide the whole weekend of shows. There will be two draws:
1. Music Draw - for East End Unleashed music pitches for Friday, Saturday & Sunday evening
2. Combined Circle Draw for
- Friday, Saturday & Sunday East End Unleashed evening road closures
- Friday, Saturday & Sunday Rundle Mall, for daytime Circle/Alcove pitches
- Any paid opportunites organised by City of Adelaide
The first super draw is Thursday 20th February 4:30pm - the day before Adelaide Fringe Opening Weekend
Make sure you are in Adelaide on time! If you miss this draw, you will not be able to busk the first weekend.
This is managed seperately to Adelaide Fringe. You MUST be registered and accepted by the East End Unleashed busking team to apply for this.
East End Unleashed (Road Closures) application form
For more East End Unleashed and Rundle Mall pitch information, please see their 2025 Adelaide Busking form. Please contact the East End Unleashed Coordinator Idris with any questions you may have matilda.firemen@gmail.com
Council Opportunities
Please stay tuned for Council Information.
Be sure to reach out to the Artists team at artists@adelaidefringe.com.au for further information and queries.
East End Unleashed, Opening Night 2024. Photo: Samuel Graves