An ethical question...

[Frisbee]

liability

Mostly all good pointers.
<<<--Liability language, usually stating that you're not liable if anything bad happens to an audience member>>>

You can mention in your contract that if something happens to someone involved in your show that you the performer are not liable...
That will probably NOT hold up in a court if you were sued.

make sure you have liability insurance for your performances. List the venue as additional insured, also make sure the venue has you listed on their insurance policy as additional insured.
Most big gigs have their own liability coverage that you are automatically included on.

[Isabella]

Insurance

Good point, Frisbee - and in fact, in the United States, you generally cannot sign away your right to sue. Every release you ever sign is fundamentally meaningless in terms of actually suing someone who has caused you harm; the release is merely legal backup that shows you know there is a risk.

About 1 out of every 20 of my clients asks me to cross out my liability language or modify it in keeping with what their attorney recommends. I don't feel that this hurts me, because in the (hopefully unlikely) event of something happening, the victim will be suing the deep corporate pockets of my employer, not the street performer.

I recommend Clowns of the US (www.clownsoftheus.com) for insurance - and it's renewal time of year, too, as they ONLY start policies in April/May - you can buy it any time, but you have to renew in April/May each year no matter when you bought. It's about $185, you get unlimited certificates of additional insured, and they are great about faxing certificates at the last minute when your client loses the paperwork.

They cover fire performers and aerialists as well as all kinds of street performers and variety acts.