Street musicians in New Orleans are one of type of contemporary performers or buskers who represent an occupational community located in the French Quarter. Though often marginalized or seen as deviant, these urban troubadours regard themselves as professional entertainers who adhere to ethical standards and business practices. This study is an analysis of these performers that includes a description of their cluster of performing activities, the concomitant artifacts used in the performances, and the cohesiveness of this group during times of difficulty. Because of a dearth of published research on this specific topic, this study will contribute a new dimension of cultural knowledge.

A partir da fundamentação da documentação e dos recursos de história oral esta pesquisa apresenta uma proposta de método documentário para artes performáticas de rua. Cinco artistas atuantes na cidade de São Paulo foram selecionados para documentarem suas memórias sobre o tema de artes de rua, e tiveram sua execução artística gravada no formato audiovisual. O método consiste em três etapas qualitativas de captação e tratamento documentário utilizando-se das tecnologias digitais, a saber, a pré-entrevista gravada em áudio, o registro da atuação in loco dos artistas na rua e finalmente uma entrevista roteirizada pelas etapas anteriores gravada em vídeo em um estúdio. O referencial teórico baseia-se nos estudos de memória de Ecléa Bosi e no conceito de Hibridização Cultural de Nestor Garcia Canclini. Concluímos a importância da memória dos artistas para a história das cidades, como também constatamos os desafios conceituais e práticos enfrentados ao se pensar a documentação de artistas de rua na contemporaneidade. / From the basis of documentation and oral history resources this research proposes a documentary method for performing arts street. Five artists working in the city of São Paulo were selected to document their memories about street art theme, and had their artistic performance recorded in audiovisual format. The method consists of three qualitative steps capture and documentary treatment using digital technology, namely the recorded pre-audio interview, the record of action in place of artists in the street and finally an interview scripted by the previous steps recorded in video in a studio. The theoretical framework is based on Ecléa Bosi memory studies and the concept of Cultural Hybridization Néstor García Canclini. We conclude the importance of memory of artists to the history of cities, but also found the conceptual challenges and faced practical when considering the documentation of street performers in contemporary times.

A partir da fundamentação da documentação e dos recursos de história oral esta pesquisa apresenta uma proposta de método documentário para artes performáticas de rua. Cinco artistas atuantes na cidade de São Paulo foram selecionados para documentarem suas memórias sobre o tema de artes de rua, e tiveram sua execução artística gravada no formato audiovisual. O método consiste em três etapas qualitativas de captação e tratamento documentário utilizando-se das tecnologias digitais, a saber, a pré-entrevista gravada em áudio, o registro da atuação in loco dos artistas na rua e finalmente uma entrevista roteirizada pelas etapas anteriores gravada em vídeo em um estúdio. O referencial teórico baseia-se nos estudos de memória de Ecléa Bosi e no conceito de Hibridização Cultural de Nestor Garcia Canclini. Concluímos a importância da memória dos artistas para a história das cidades, como também constatamos os desafios conceituais e práticos enfrentados ao se pensar a documentação de artistas de rua na contemporaneidade. / From the basis of documentation and oral history resources this research proposes a documentary method for performing arts street. Five artists working in the city of São Paulo were selected to document their memories about street art theme, and had their artistic performance recorded in audiovisual format. The method consists of three qualitative steps capture and documentary treatment using digital technology, namely the recorded pre-audio interview, the record of action in place of artists in the street and finally an interview scripted by the previous steps recorded in video in a studio. The theoretical framework is based on Ecléa Bosi memory studies and the concept of Cultural Hybridization Néstor García Canclini. We conclude the importance of memory of artists to the history of cities, but also found the conceptual challenges and faced practical when considering the documentation of street performers in contemporary times.

This diploma thesis deals with a wide field of performing arts in the public space, the so-called busking, in relation to two main lines of thought - partly to the barriers for implementation of activities, across cities; second, to the cultural development policies within the region. Collected theoretical knowledge and practical experience (eg from historical development of urban communities, studies of numerous legislative documents, cultural development policies, the author's own research, numerous observations and interviews with the artists themselves and with representatives of institutions across the world which are setting up standards, analysis of obstacles to the implementation of activities in public space and more) which the author converts first in comparison of two cities - Prague in the first place, and London with a model approach to artistic activities in public space in the second, and than in a series of specific recommendations for the creation of a standard, strategy and related legislation leading to the implementation of measures related to the topic of this diploma thesis within the capital city of Prague. The author works on the assumption that performing arts do belong to the public space, as they have the potential to improve the quality of life, to educate the people and substantially increase their creativity, to develop the potential of sites, to reduce crime, to generate economic multiplication and more.

The subject of this thesis entitled What does an invisible city look like is the perception of a city and the way it is represented. The work is based on urban semiotics that sees urban environment as a particular system of communication. The methods of sensory urbanism and rhythm analysis are employed as well. The author asks whether the cities could be represented by other than visual symbols as it is usually the case for the products of tourism industry (guidebooks, souvenirs, etc.). Usually, the symbol of a particular city is formed by the image of its skyline. In Prague, this is the skyline of the Prague Castle, in Paris, it is the Eiffel tower, in New York, it is the Statue of Liberty, etc. But every city has definitely many other qualities. What are they? To find the answer, the author asks for help the visually impaired people. These people can tell easily what are the non-visual qualities of the urban space as they experience them necessarily in their everyday life and use them for better orientation. The author interviewed the visually impaired people and she also observed the way they read the city in real. The practical part of the thesis focuses on the Prague city centre.

This thesis sets out to explore why people engage in, and how to design for, play in a public setting. It does this by separating design for play from design of games, describing play as a socially and mentally understood activity, and a playful approach to engaging in that activity. It emphasises that while play is voluntary, design can help shape the players’ mode of engagement. The thesis uses a qualitative and inductive approach to research, with an understanding of knowledge as being constructed in the individual. The research is grounded in human computer interaction and interaction design, and closely related to game studies and design science. The research question concerns how design can influence the player activity in order to create a desired player experience in public, by harnessing playful engagement. It’s foundation is a theory of play which describes play as a framed, or hedged-off, activity with a fragile border; where knowledge and feelings can leak both in and out of the activity, and affect the play as well as what is around it. The theory of enjoyment of play is discussed, and the problem of treating this as ‘fun’ is addressed, concluding in a presentation of how playful engagement can be harnessed through design. The theory is applied in five design cases: I’m Your Body, a locative storytelling app; Codename Heroes, a pervasive game of personal empowerment; Passing On, a slow-paced game about communication; Busking Studies, which involves observing street performers and their shows; and DigiFys, an architectural design exploration of playgrounds and play paths. Finally, three concepts, or design tools, are presented, which address: 1) a structure for understanding a design through three layers, constructs designed by the designer, inspiring play activity with the player, leading to experience; 2) an approach to designing invitations to play; and finally 3), a four faceted structure for understanding play engagement when players engage in non intended ways.