Touring, gigs, festivals; what effect is Brexit going to have on UK and EU musicians this year and for the foreseeable future? Here is what we already know.
Let’s talk Brexit. No, we don’t want to start a Leave/Remain debate, or imagine dark days in the future where you can no longer pick up Petit Filous from the supermarket. The most important question for us is one you may not have thought of yet: What is the impact of Brexit on the music industry?
The boring stuff
We left the EU single market and customs union on 31st December 2020, meaning this year will bring a change to the rules in regards to immigration, travel, hiring, touring, tax and so much more. It also impacts wider markets, as we are no longer part of EU-wide agreements with other countries.
So, what does that mean for musicians?
UK musicians have famously always enjoyed a great relationship with EU countries, whether it be festivals, tours, individual gigs, or distributing music. It’s going to be sad to say goodbye to that easy relationship, as Brexit brings a host of new challenges to those activities. Will musicians have to get a visa to tour or perform abroad? Will European festivals be more reluctant to hire British musicians due to complications? These are the questions that need answering.
What do we already know?
Honestly? Not enough. But some great organisations are pushing for answers on behalf of the music industry. We are proud to be a member of one of those organisations; the Association of Independent Musicians. They have been lobbying government, public bodies and funding organisations to try and minimise the impact of Brexit on a practical level. Any information we have about Brexit’s impact on the music industry is compiled on their website, on a dedicated page here
Information on touring - including artists coming to the UK, artists touring in the EU, and UK/EU artists touring in the US - is also available.
We encourage you to check it out, and follow our socials - Facebook , Instagram & Twitter - where we’ll be posting updates as they emerge. If you want to chat about anything, just get in touch - we don’t promise to have the answers, but we’ll happily try our best!