British musicians are trilling with Brexit.
The end of freedom of movement means for many of them the indefinite cancellation of
tours
of Europe due to the increase in bureaucracy and costs.
In countries like Spain, Italy and Denmark they would even need
temporary work permits
to be able to perform live from now on.A petition launched by a Tim Brennan video technician has won the support of more than
200,000 signatures
in a few days and has guaranteed
do that the issue will be urgently debated in Parliament.
Frontline singers such as Dua Lipa, Tim Burgess (The Charlatan) or KT Tunstall have joined the collective chorus for a special treatment for culture in the era
post-Brexit
The musicians lament the neglect suffered by the British Government, which
put all the meat on the grill to defend the fishing industry
(which contributes 1.6 billion euros a year to the economy) and marginalized the interests of the music industry, which contributes more than 5.7 billion, creates 100,000 jobs and is the spearhead of British culture in the world. " defenders of
Brexit
In this Government they have been talking for half a decade about the virtues and benefits of leaving the European Union and creating a Global Britain ", warns David Martin at the head of the Featured Artists Coalition, in the magazine
New Musical Express
(
NME
).
"Well, we are not going to be very 'global' if our artists do not have the facilities to play in our neighboring and culturally close countries." "The architects of the
Brexit
should
put the money where they put their mouths
and show that leaving the EU can be a success and not a catastrophe for our industry, "adds Martin." For a large part of our artists
it is vital to go on tour in Europe
.
We are not just talking about
fans
that they can stay without seeing their favorite British musicians or DJs, but bands that will not be able to survive if they face economic and legal obstacles that did not exist to be able to play in the 27 countries of the EU ". A spokesman for the British Government stated to New Musical Express that
London tried to reach an agreement
"to guarantee the temporary freedom of movement of visitors on business trips" (including artists in general and musicians in particular) but that the EU rejected the proposal. Since 1 January, touring musicians are subject to the regime general for UK visitors to the EU, which
They can stay a maximum of three months without a visa
(in a period of 180 days).
They also impose restrictions on activities and face different laws in each of the 27 countries, plus the
inevitable "frictions"
going through customs with music teams. "Europe has always been where we launched our tours and now it may be our end point," says Andy Lenthall, manager of the Production Services Association, who represents the technicians and operators who make music possible live.
"For 40 years,
we have built an industry based on freedom of movement, of people and of goods
.
If all that is compromised, our future is compromised.
This has been the jewel in our cultural crown, and we may not realize it until we have lost it. "" The industry has suffered tremendously from COVID and now we are faced with this new impediment that threatens our future, "said Tim Brennan, the promoter of the petition that claims "
a cultural work permit that allows musicians, artists, technicians and television and sports personalities to travel freely through the 27 EU states
"The actors union Equity has also joined the petition, as well as the Incorporated Society of Musicians, which represents the sector and has recalled how"
78% of British musicians visit an EU country at least once a year to perform
"Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, UK Music CEO, stresses that the cultural loss will be reciprocal if there is no policy change:" There is a risk that British musicians
can't afford the bureaucracy and delays and have to cancel their tours
.
But musicians and creators from other countries would also face barriers to performing here, and British audiences would lose out. "" The UK joined the European Community in 1973,
three years after the first Glastonbury festival
"concludes David Martin, of the Featured Artists Coalition, in the pages of New Musical Express." The world is a different place 50 years later ... Delays at borders, entry bans and the costs of red tape do not make us gobal.
Sucking the blood out of our music industry, a national value and a huge contributor to our economy, does not respond to the idea of a global Britain. "
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