Miss Susan Tan appears to hold certain notions and ideas on busking from which she should be disabused (Do not allow busking as a day job, April 17).

She is correct to say that busking creates a vibrant art culture.

As is true of any art form, the artist needs to constantly work at his craft and towards the best performance possible. This is not something to attempt once a week, but work that demands application, dedication and time.

The very best performers that elevate busking to this level would invariably be individuals who devote their lives to it.

To conflate busking with a form of begging is to misread the sheer amount of work and skill that forms the bedrock of such performances.

I believe the National Arts Council has processes in place to vet and weed out those individuals who might use busking as as a way to panhandle for money. This includes having to take auditions to ensure their act passes muster.

To that effect, busking, as with any other public activity, should be regulated to preclude individuals from "setting up shop" willy-nilly, which adds little to the public space.

Michael Leong