The UK's arts and entertainment sectors are one of our most
successful exports, a true beacon of Global Britain, yet the
UK/EU trade deal is going to make it much harder for UK-based
workers to tour the EU.
The Government and EU must get back to the table and negotiate a
pragmatic solution that will secure jobs and livelihoods in an
industry that has already been one of the hardest hit by Covid.
The trade deal as it stands does not adequately cover touring
arrangements for musicians and their crew. Acquiring visas for
every European country presents a bureaucratic nightmare and a
financial and logistical burden that will be prohibitive for all
but the largest bands.
Bectu is calling on the UK Government to reopen negotiations with
the EU and secure:
- A free cultural work permit to allow touring professionals
visa free travel throughout the 27 EU states
- A Carnet exception for touring equipment
The UK has a thriving culture industry and our members are
integral to its success. They have been sharing their personal
stories about the impact the visa requirements will have on them
and illustrating the expertise and professional creativity that
is at risk. Read more
here.
Bectu National Secretary Noel McLean says: "The UK government
have got it wrong. Our members real life stories underline the
scale of damage caused by them getting it wrong. There is still
time to put this right and it has to be put right. There is a
real danger that if this is not sorted out, many people will lose
work, lose income and the UK will be poorer both financially and
culturally."
What the workers effected have to say:
John Rogers, Lighting Operator, Designer, Programmer, CAD Product
Specialist and Lecturer:
"All the work I have done building my expertise and reputation in
my field over the last 18 years will not be enough to mitigate
prohibitive visa costs incurred by my nationality. Put simply, as
a British worker I will have become priced out of my own job due
to the loss of the ability to work in Europe."
Gareth Barton, Freelance Event Production:
"I have recently started to see job adverts for companies asking
for 'Non UK passport holders'. It's so much easier for employers
to overlook us now due to the added complications."
Ben Ellis, Musician and Head of Sound:
"The government and the EU seem to think that the provision to be
able to work 90 out of 180 days as an artist or tech visa-free in
Europe will be fine. It will not. Most touring techs and
musicians can only survive by working for more than one artist.
We cannot survive if we can only work for 90 days out of every
180 days. That will potentially mean that we can't work for half
of the time in our biggest, closest market which is Europe."
Callum Vernon, Live Front of House & System Technician:
"I've spent the last 5 years touring for more than 8 months at a
time around the EU, specifically Germany and France as the Head
of Sound for one major production. The requirement for working
visas will impact me dramatically, as already the Production
Company have said there will be a strong possibility they won't
be able to hire me."
Nadgy Khirat, Lighting Director:
"I have been part of many UK/EU tours that had to ship me home
after the last day of the European tour because they could not
afford to take me over to the US, I suspect the same will happen
for the EU leg of the tour if we can't find a solution, which
represent usually anywhere between a week and a month or more
worth of dates and tour."
Joe Peet, FOH Sound Engineer:
"Many music genres are well-loved across the world by a small,
dedicated audience; however the margins for non-mainstream
culture can be tight at the best of times. Culture on the
fringes, hi-brow, alternative or emerging new forms is likely to
be hit hardest by the new travel restrictions in Europe for UK
artists and crew."
Myles Hayden, Sound Engineer:
"Around a third of my work comes from American bands and
production companies. They use Britain as a hub for their work in
Europe due to our high levels of infrastructure, expertise and
access to the EU. The new legislation that has come into play due
to Brexit has made me and my colleagues uncompetitive against our
rivals in the EU, particularly from production houses in Germany,
the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland."
Lucinda Potter, Sound Engineer and Technician:
"The UK is renowned for its skill set in this sector. There is a
reason we have a mass export of skill to Europe and entire
productions are created using UK based workers. The EU uses
primarily UK based staff/companies to produce its shows. To put
it bluntly, the new restrictions mean that the 'perk' of the UK
is gone. With this isolation there is little to no appeal to hire
a UK production team. It's not financially beneficial, we are no
longer a gateway into a European tour."
