You can find street performers in every major city around the world. Musicians animate corners of our streets, serving as urban conductors and setting the tempo and mood for our city lives. Catchy beats or familiar melodies encourage us to slow down from the hustle and bustle of the city and spend more time in our public spaces.

For more than 35 years, musicians have been part of the culture of transit in Metro Vancouver. Expo ’86 brought an influx of street performers and it was recognized they would make a nice addition to the SkyTrain system. Since then, musicians of every ilk have provided transit customers with entertainment and a soundtrack to their travels.

Registered musicians currently perform at 11 stations along the Expo, Millennium, and Canada Lines, playing a variety of instruments and musical styles throughout the day between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. Find them at these locations:

• Waterfront (SkyWalk to the SeaBus terminal and the Howe Street entrance)
• Burrard
• Granville
• Vancouver City Centre
• Stadium–Chinatown (near BC Place)
• Main Street–Science World (west and east stationhouse)
• Commercial–Broadway (south entrance)
• Metrotown (east or west stationhouse)
• Lougheed Town Centre
• Surrey Central (east stationhouse by the bus loop)

To earn a coveted license to perform at a SkyTrain station, aspiring performers participate in “So You Think You Can Busk?” — an American Idol-style audition in front of a panel of judges. Both single and duo performers are welcomed. Successful musicians are issued a license valid for two years. Each year, licenses open up for new musicians to join seasoned veterans already playing on the system.

To learn more about the Busker program and how to apply, check out our website.