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Updated March 31, 2010
About license-stop for non-EU performers.

Updated July 15, 2005
General policy city council.

Articles

12-Aug-2015: License system restored.

31-Mar-2010: Voice amplification gedoogbrief prolonged for undefined time.

26-Mar-2009: Voice amplification gedoogbrief 2009 available.

19-Mar-2008: Voice amplification allowed without license.

09-Jun-2007: Performing officially license-free, but non-EU still can not perform!

29-Jul-2006: Mayor ignores City Council's decision! Street theatre dead?

16-Dec-2005: Amsterdam-City council will allow performing to all nationalities.

14-Oct-2005: Council of Amsterdam-Centre accepts proposal of AA/dG.

09-Sep-2005: Court and City Council start dealing with the case of non-European street performers.

03-Feb-2005: City council and SAS get together: positive developments.

17-Jul-2004: City council's policy and apathy kills street theatre in Amsterdam.

06-Dec-2003: Amsterdam bans foreign street performers.

 

Mayor of Amsterdam ignores democratic decision of City Council !!!
Street theater in Amsterdam dead ???

Created: July 29, 2006.

Up to now, for performing street theatre in Amsterdam you needed a license. This is set by the Amsterdam by-law (APV). However, national laws forbid local governments to issue any kind of license to non-EU citizens. As a result, Amsterdam would (have to) refuse a street performing license to non-EU performers.

So, a simple way to avoid this awkward combination of laws, is to change the Amsterdam by-law (APV), so that performing is license-free. After all, if no license is needed, the city doesn't need to refuse it anymore, and non-EU performers can just do their shows.

To achieve this, Amsterdam Anders / de Groenen made a proposal (Dutch) for the City Council. This proposal asks for a change of the by-law, making performing license-free. Further, a solution would need to be found for the special allowances, which were typically regulated by the performing license, such as the maximum number of shows per day, maximum time per show, voice- and music amplification and the use of 'dangerous' props, like fire-torches, juggling machetes, etc..

This proposal was accepted by the City Council last year December. The Mayor promised things would be effective "before coming season".

BUT ... Things went a bit different ...

Unfortunately, it took untill the midst of July before the by-law got changed. A bit late, but okay... Anyway, this means performing street theatre is now officially license-free.

This seems to be good news, but for the special allowances (fire, amplification, etc.) still a license is required. And, where initially it looked like also non-European performers could get such permission, that appears not to be the case.

It's even worse... The license department now simply says: A license for performing is not mandatory any longer, so we will stop issueing licenses completely.

Reality is that nowadays basically every circle show performer needs some kind of special allowance: for amplification, fire torches, juggling machettes or any other spectacular stunt or theatrical routine that will satisfy the needs of today's audiences. The time of the mime actor with three balls and a red nose is long gone ...

So, the actual result is awful, and completely against the whole purpose of the accepted proposal:
1. In reality non-EU performers still cannot perform their shows. Nothing really changed compared to the situation before.
2. From next year, when all the current licenses expire, also EU performers cannot do their shows anymore.

This was not the deal, but the Mayor of Amsterdam exercises some kind of dictatorship. Only a part of the democratically accepted proposal is activated, the other part is not. The effect is opposite to what was meant, but it seems like the Mayor does not want to do it differently.

If this situation remains unchanged, street theatre in Amsterdam will be history.

Read the latest news (updated March 31, 2010).
 

 
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