Calling all street performers

Ipswich Borough Council is calling on all street performers – from musicians and magicians to acrobats, dancers, living statues, poets, puppeteers and more – to apply now for a place in the town’s first-ever Street Performers Showcase, taking place on Saturday 4th April.

This brand-new event builds on the huge success of Ipswich’s Busking Showcase events held in recent years, which brought energy, colour and creativity to key towncentre locations including Cornhill, Tavern Street, Buttermarket and Westgate Street. Residents and visitors consistently enjoyed lively crowds, diverse acts and a vibrant atmosphere, with some performances – such as Eko the Sea Giant during the 2024 showcase – drawing large, attentive audiences throughout the day. 

Previous showcases also received “fantastic feedback” from the public, helping to increase footfall, support local businesses, and demonstrate the strong appetite for cultural events in the town centre. 

This year, the Council is expanding the opportunity far beyond musical buskers, opening applications to all street performers for the first time. Selected acts will be funded to perform and help transform the town centre into an allday celebration of creativity.

Applications for the Street Performers Showcase are open until 5pm on Friday 6 March 2026. A panel will review all submissions, with the successful selected performers to be notified by Monday 16th March.

Apply online at: 
www.my.ipswich.gov.uk/service/Street_Performance_Showcase