Street Shows
Bureau of Silly Ideas create street shows that transform festivals and public events into something unforgettably silly. From high-energy participation to big visual installations, we bring ambitious arts experiences into the public realm year-round—sunny chaos in summer, illuminated wonder in winter.
We specialise in the kind of moments audiences talk about all day. Our mechanical menagerie is designed for surprise and interaction—iconic characters, bold props, and roving spectacle that pulls a crowd without blocking the flow of your site. Whether it’s a vaudeville/sideshow-style installation or a walkabout that keeps appearing in the most perfect places, we make work that feels spontaneous, generous, and alive.
We work closely with programmers and producers to match the right energy to the right context—tailoring shows to your site, audience, and schedule. That can mean coordinating festival-wide participation (yes, including custard pie battles), creating standout centrepiece moments, or building a playful through-line across a whole day.
We also bring innovation into event-making. In collaboration with technologists, we developed the AI mood-based audience tool Smile-O-Meter—helping capture live readings of public enjoyment at scale.
