Does a street performer need to get a permit from the city of Santa Monica?

Question:

Does a street performer need to get a permit from the city of Santa Monica?

My 15-year-old son plays the keyboard. He wants to perform in front of audience. Is there any permit required to perform on street in Santa Monica? Are there any other places? He does not care about money but wants to have experience. Please advise.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: if you're not asking for money, you can basically perform anywhere. parks are good and the beach is a good place. make sure that no sand gets near the keyboard though. the same rules apply for people playing guitrs on the streets. don't sell drugs or hurt people etc. you can put a little tip jar in front of the keyboad and people can leave you money. you're not forcing anyone to give it. it's free music so the cops can't get mad. downtown is a good place too. good luck and the point is to have fun and gain performing experience.