What kind of permits are needed for public performances?

[Winny]

My cousin is into acting and wants to start a program with her schoolmates to do public performances in the area. Mostly at places like parks, concert halls, theaters, schools, etc. Are there permits required usually for any form of public performances? They want to host little public events to support the area, and do some fundraising on the side. Do you know if there are permit requirements for public performance in Michigan? What about in the US in general?

 

[Jake]

My cousin is into acting and wants to start a program with her schoolmates to do public performances in the area. Mostly at places like parks, concert halls, theaters, schools, etc. Are there permits required usually for any form of public performances? They want to host little public events to support the area, and do some fundraising on the side. Do you know if there are permit requirements for public performance in Michigan? What about in the US in general?

Are they going to get the venue and obtain any permits or licenses they may need? Sounds like your cousin is playing by the rules, good for her. I researched this a bit and in Michigan you do need to file some things before you can put on public performance, whether it be a stage play, musical performance or a comedy act etc. You will need a public performance license, permission from the venue you're performing at, and you may have to pay licensing fees on any copyrighted music you perform. So you need to credit the original artists as well.

I found all of this info from these links:
Recommended Performance Schedules for 2020
Public Performance Licensing 101: Learn In 5 Minutes

 

[Winny]

Are they going to get the venue and obtain any permits or licenses they may need? Sounds like your cousin is playing by the rules, good for her. I researched this a bit and in Michigan you do need to file some things before you can put on public performance, whether it be a stage play, musical performance or a comedy act etc. You will need a public performance license, permission from the venue you're performing at, and you may have to pay licensing fees on any copyrighted music you perform. So you need to credit the original artists as well.

I found all of this info from these links:
Recommended Performance Schedules for 2020
Public Performance Licensing 101: Learn In 5 Minutes

Appreciate the fast response! This is great, it's exactly what I was looking for. I will let them know to look into getting a public performance license. I assume if they create a stage they would have to get a building permit for that and I would imagine a permit to perform at a park or other public location would be a requirement too right?

I'll keep lookin into this though, thanks again!

 

[Davenport]

I assume if they create a stage they would have to get a building permit for that and I would imagine a permit to perform at a park or other public location would be a requirement too right?

In Michigan, it's pretty easy for residents to use the park facilities for performances. Your cousin, or whoever is in charge, would just need to fill out an event use application. Also, is your cousin under the age of 18? If so and he's getting paid, the company will need to get an approved Application for Performing Arts Authorization form. It has to be done at least 10 days before he appears in anything.

I wish your cousin tons of luck. It takes guts to put yourself out there as a performer. It's fantastic that he's not afraid to go for it.

 

[Nomad]

Depending on the location and nature of the event, you might require entertainment licenses, noise permits, fire safety permits, and permissions for use of public spaces. These permits are required to manage crowd control, ensure structural integrity of stages or equipment, and mitigate potential disruptions to the community.