TTC ‘stages’ will give subway buskers a boost

As part of a pilot project, the TTC is setting up decorative “stages” at four locations to draw attention to subway musicians.

Thestar.com
Oct. 18, 2016
By Ben Spurr

The TTC is giving its subway musicians a boost by providing bolder backdrops for their performances.

As part of a six-month pilot project, the agency is setting up decorative black “stages” at four locations in the transit system. The stages, which are made out of vinyl adhesive, will replace the barely noticeable dotted yellow lines that usually demarcate performance areas at stations. TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said they’re meant to help focus attention on the artists who ply their trade on the subway network.

“It was felt that in order to give them a bit more profile and help them with their job that we'd provide them with a more visible staging,” he said.

The stages will initially be set up at Bloor-Yonge, Main, Spadina, and Finch stations, but if the pilot is successful the TTC plans to mount them at additional locations. The agency also hopes to find a sponsor to help offset the costs, which according to Green run to $1,400 for the material and installation of each stage.

Green said that in addition to drawing attention to the musicians, the more visible backdrops will also help clear up any confusion about why the performers are there. Some TTC passengers assume they are busking on TTC property illegally, and don’t realize the musicians have gone through an extensive selection process.

The commission holds auditions for the program every three years, and selects 75 successful candidates from the first 175 who apply. A panel of judges scores the acts based on stage presence, talent, and entertainment value, and the winners must purchase a $197.75 licence before they can play a note on the transit system.

The acts that are chosen perform at 25 sites on the network on a rotating basis, and the transit commission says over the course of the program’s 36-year history, participants have included Juno winners and symphony performers.

“They're professionals. A lot of the work that they do and a lot of their performances are of a calibre you would see during a night out,” said Green, calling the stages “a nice way to recognize them.”

Morad Saad Guzman, who has been playing guitar and foot tambourine on the subway for a year, said he looks forward to performing in front of the new backdrops.

“I think it’s a great idea to put us out there and really raise awareness on who we are and what we do,” he said.

Guzman said people often think subway performers are homeless or otherwise down on their luck, and he’s even had people approach him and ask if he has a place to sleep. “I started going out there in a suit and tie,” he laughed.

While a bustling subway station can be a challenging place to play, Guzman, who usually performs with his dog Milo at his side, said he enjoys trying to liven the spirits of stressed-out transit users.

“That’s why I’m here, for people like that, so I can brighten up their day and put a smile on their face,” he said.