Sydney busking crackdown: George Street artists shocked by new City of Sydney rules

When Ula Venckus was 16, she decided that instead of cooking fries at McDonald’s, she would busk.

For six years, the 22-year-old has travelled from western Sydney to play on Sydney’s busiest streets. But busking, which she credits for establishing her career as a musician and social media star, faces a sudden clampdown.

The City of Sydney emailed registered buskers on Monday saying busking would be restricted to six street corners on George Street effective immediately.

In these sites, known as “special pitches” , buskers can perform an hour a day each between 11am and 10pm.

“[Before], you could basically play anywhere on George Street,” Venckus said. “As long as you weren’t causing any trouble, you could play in reasonable locations ... all of us, we’re in a state of shock.”

The co