London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

UK to appeal to individual European countries over arts touring 'crisis'

UK to appeal to individual European countries over arts touring 'crisis'

The government has said it hopes to open negotiations with individual EU countries "very shortly" to help UK artists to tour after being told Brexit had created an "absolute crisis".

Speaking to MPs on Tuesday, arts figures said ministers must "act now".

Culture minister Caroline Dinenage said there were no current talks to reach agreements with individual countries.

She admitted there were "certainly a lot of obstacles to overcome", resulting in "quite a lot of sleepless nights for those across my department at the moment".

With the main Brexit deal not allowing British artists to work freely across the continent, she said striking deals on work permits and visas with individual countries was a "more likely success route" than attempting to reach an EU-wide agreement.

Officials are currently working out which countries to approach first and how to approach the negotiations.

"Those conversations are happening within government now, and they will be happening with member states very shortly," Alastair Jones, a senior civil servant in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), told the House of Commons culture select committee.

Different EU countries have different arrangements for working musicians and other artists. Spain, for example, requires extra visas, while France does not.

The UK and EU have blamed each other for rejecting proposals for inclusion in the main Brexit deal. On Tuesday, Mr Jones said there had been "a lack of appetite on the EU side to really engage and make a workable solution".

Committee chairman Julian Knight MP said the outcome was that the creative industries, which is a "world-leading part of the UK economy", had effectively "had to endure a no-deal Brexit".

Music roadies held a day of action last year to to highlight the problems faced by the live events industry


Earlier, lighting designer Paule Constable, representing campaign group Freelancers Make Theatre Work, told the committee the current situation was "absolute chaos".

Asked by committee member Giles Watling MP whether the government needed to resolve the issue urgently, she replied: "Yeah, we're in an absolute crisis."

"The government needs to take responsibility for the lack of clarity," she continued. "At the moment you're at the whim of the border staff of whatever country you're entering."

'Heart-rending' testimonies


Deborah Annetts, chief executive of the Incorporated Society of Musicians, said some British musicians were having concerts planned for this summer cancelled, while others had been sacked from European orchestras.

"I have been inundated with personal testimony from musicians as to the work that they have lost or are going to lose now in Europe as a result of the new visa and work permit arrangements," she said.

"Some of them are really quite heart-rending, with musicians saying they are thinking of giving up being a musician altogether."

She added: "It's not just about money, it's also about the huge psychological impact this is having on musicians."

Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart are among those calling for a cultural work permit deal


Earlier on Tuesday, Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Patrick Stewart and Dame Julie Walters were among more than 100 members of the performers' Equity union who signed an open letter urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resolve the issue.

"Not acting now will do further and irreparable harm to the UK's creative workforce, our industries and to our standing on the international cultural stage," they said.

Sir Elton John, Liam Gallagher and Nicola Benedetti were among the signatories of a previous open letter calling on the government to facilitate visa-free touring in the European Union.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×