Brexit: Last News

Brexit, is likely to impact this summer’s events season.The warning comes from the Association of Independent Festivals, ahead of the AIF Festival Congress 2022 taking place in Bristol today (February 15).AIF CEO Paul Reed made the comments during his opening remarks to indie festival promoters, arguing that while there is widespread optimism about the full return of the festival season, there will be trouble and challenges ahead for the live music industry as a whole.Reed said that while the UK “may be emerging from the shadow of the pandemic, this year will not be a case of ‘back to business as usual’ without critical support for festival organisers”.“We are facing a perfect storm in many ways,” he said. “I’ve spoken with many [festival organisers] in the last few weeks about supply chains, loss of skilled workforce, 20-30 per cent increase in costs across the board and a government-backed insurance scheme that isn’t simply isn’t fit for purpose despite our best efforts.”The AIF echoed fears that the government’s £750million Live Events Reinsurance scheme “simply isn’t fit for purpose”, with many festival organisers not taking it out due to “limited scope and excessive cost, so isn’t enabling organisers to plan with confidence”.Reed and the AIF are calling on the government for further support, with suggested measures including continued VAT relief on tickets beyond the end of March, a backed loan scheme for suppliers and to remove tax incentives to use certain biofuels to allow for use of greener fuels at festivals.Among the other main issues, Reed noted that suppliers lacked cash reserves to invest into inventory in a year when there will be near “unprecedented demand and event activity”.

Brexit, in a deal hailed as “a big victory”.Last month, a number of figures from the music industry spoke to NME about how new visa rules, as well as prohibitive costs and admin rules, meant that many UK artists could no longer afford to tour in Spain – cutting off one of the biggest markets for UK talent.In a tweet posted last night, new Department Of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) head, Nadine Dorries, said: “Really great news. We’ve been working closely with the Spanish government to make touring easier – and they’ve just confirmed that musicians no longer need visas to go on short-term tours 21 Member States now offer visa & permit-free routes for touring performers.

Brexit.While so much has been said and written about the “devastating” result of the UK’s musicians and road crew being dealt a “no deal” when it comes to touring Europe in the new Brexit landscape – as well as ongoing criticism of government inaction – a number of post-Brexit factors and regulations have also led to a great deal of money being lost from independent artists and labels who have struggled in getting records and other products to their fans on the continent.A lot of products are being held up in customs and returned, that’s if European customers have gone as far to even order them due to a dramatic increase in postage prices.Catherine Anne Davies, aka The Anchoress, released her second album ‘The Art Of Losing’ to great

Friendly Fires have criticised the Tories for using their 2011 single ‘Blue Cassette’ during Boris Johnson‘s speech at the party conference today (October 6).The track, from their second album ‘Pala’, was used as the Prime Minister walked out on stage ahead of his address in Manchester.Its use sparked an angry response on social media from the St Albans band.“We do not endorse the Conservative party’s use of our track ‘Blue Cassette’.

Kelly Lee Owens has spoken to NME about her recent decision to pull her upcoming European tour, citing the “serious damage” that Brexit is doing to artists and calling upon the UK Government for urgent action.The row over the government’s failure to negotiate visa-free travel and Europe-wide work permits for musicians and crew in their post-Brexit deal continues to rumble on with no visible end in sight.Last week saw the Welsh electro artist and producer Owens make headlines when she cancelled her upcoming November shows in the EU as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Brexit and the “anxiety” they had created.“After I posted that, a lot of people very kindly reached out to check in on how I was feeling and how I was doing,” Owens told

Kelly Lee Owens has cancelled her forthcoming European tour dates.The Welsh producer had been set to embark on a European tour in November ahead of a run of UK dates, which are “still going ahead as planned” later this year.Sharing a statement on Twitter this morning (June 14), Owens explained that she was cancelling her European tour “for several reasons”, adding: “Let me be candid as to why. The main reason is of course the ongoing [coronavirus] pandemic.

Brexit touring campaign Carry On Touring has announced a UK-EU summit, Day Of Action.Set to take place on Thursday, May 20 between 2pm-4pm BST, the event is being held in a fresh bid “to demonstrate support for creative touring professionals and artists” whose livelihoods will be impacted by the UK’s departure from the European Union.“Our UK-EU Summit is designed to unite support across the UK and EU and call on the UK Government and EU representatives to get a deal done that supports real people, real lives and real jobs,” an official description reads.“It simply makes no sense to block touring artists and professional’s ability to earn and pay tax in an industry that brings pleasure to millions of people.”It continues: “This is not an

failed to secure visa-free travel for UK artists and their crew.In failing to negotiate visa-free travel and Europe-wide work permits for musicians and crew, it is feared that artists will face huge costs to future live music tours of the continent which could prevent rising and developing artists from being able to afford to do so.

Turbowolf, has opened a new cafe that will be staffed entirely by musicians who are struggling financially during the coronavirus pandemic.Cafe LD is currently running a takeaway and delivery service three days a week during lockdown, serving a vegan menu out of The Chatterton’s Cafe.The establishment was set up last year by Davies in order to make up for income she lost due to the loss of gigs.Speaking to the BBC, Davies said she and her partner “couldn’t get furlough or a government self-employment grant so we slipped through the cracks and lost everything.”“I just felt that there’s no point in sitting around and waiting for the government to decide on what I can and can’t do, so I took control of the situation for my family and it

Elton John and Michael Caine have both starred in a new lighthearted NHS video to help persuade people to get their Covid-19 vaccination.In the 90-second clip, the music and screen icons team up to reassure the public  that the vaccines are perfectly safe, while also providing a comic edge.John is seen pretending to audition for a part to promote the vaccination, and acts out having a jab before he eventually sings his seminal 1983 hit ‘I’m Still Standing’.But after several takes, an unimpressed casting director tells him: “Thanks, Elton, we will let you know.”Elton replies: “Well at this short notice you won’t find anyone bigger.”The video then shows The Italian Job legend Caine having the vaccine, telling fans that it “didn’t hurt”.Elton

280,000 people signed a petition calling for the government to establish visa-free touring for artists and crew through EU member states after Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal failed to do so, the campaign was debated by MPs in Parliament yesterday (February 8).Cross-party MPs repeated fears that the new added huge costs to future live music tours of the continent would prevent rising and developing artists from being able to afford it, as well as claims from European promoters that they’re likely to book fewer UK acts for events and that a great deal of jobs and income for crew, haulage and production will be lost to the EU with operations based in Britain now unviable.Another repeated sentiment was that Brexit only stood to damage the UK’s

NME about their doubts of being able to tour Europe again thanks to the ongoing Brexit visa fiasco and its impact on musicians.Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit trade deal failed to secure visa-free travel for UK artists and their crew wishing to tour Europe (adding huge costs to future live music tours of the continent and preventing rising and developing artists from being able to afford it), prompting a row to erupt over who was responsible.After over 280,000 people signed a petition calling for visa-free touring through the EU to be established for artists and crew, the campaign will today be discussed by MPs in Parliament.Speaking to NME about how the situation would impact on them, Nova Twins said that it would make planning their

Elton John has called for a “short-term fix” to be implemented as the post-Brexit touring debacle continues.Musicians were left out of the Brexit trade deal that came into action on January 1, 2021, meaning artists may have to acquire visas for each country they wish to perform in in Europe.As critics of the deal have pointed out, musicians not being allowed into the EU with a visa-free work permit – as workers in some other industries have been granted – means big rises in costs that could bar some acts from being able to tour Europe.In an opinion piece for the Guardian, John spoke of his own experiences playing shows on the continent when he was starting out.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit trade deal failed to secure visa-free travel for UK artists wishing to tour Europe (adding huge costs to future live music tours of the continent will be incurred and preventing rising and developing artists from being able to afford it), a row erupted over who was responsible.Earlier this month, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden put the blame for this at the foot of the EU following reports that a “standard” proposal that would exempt performers from needing a visa to enter countries in the EU for trips under 90 days was actually turned down by the UK government.

Elton John, Liam Gallagher and Ed Sheeran have all signed an open letter to criticise the UK Government’s Brexit deal, which has shunned the chance for touring musicians to enjoy visa-free travel in Europe.More than 100 musicians say they have been “shamefully failed” by the post-Brexit trade deal in a new open letter published in The Times.The letter, which has also been backed by the likes of Queen‘s Brian May and Roger Waters, calls on the government to “urgently do what it said it would do and negotiate paperwork-free travel in Europe for British artists and their equipment”.As well as warning of a “gaping hole” where free movement previously existed, the signees argue that the cost of permits and other regulations will make “many tours

Brexit negotiations.Yesterday (January 9), it was reported that the UK have turned down a deal from the EU that would allow musicians to enter countries that belong to the union without a visa.Boris Johnson‘s post-Brexit trade deal with the EU saw workers from some professions allowed to travel on business without the need to apply for a visa.

Brexit trade deal, the chief executive of UK Music has warned.The government agreed on a deal with the EU on Christmas Eve ahead of the end of the Brexit transition period on January 1, 2021.While workers from some industries will be able to travel to the EU on business without a visa, musicians are not included in the list of exemptions.Bands and industry figures have warned that extra visa costs could make touring the continent financially unviable.

to the BBC, the event’s chief creative officer Martin Green is looking for “big ideas” that can showcase British innovation to the globe, as well as healing nationwide divides as a result of the UK’s departure from the EU.Green, who was previously the head of ceremonies at the London 2012 Olympics, said: “This project was conceived to happen after our exit from the EU and acknowledges that we have been going through, and are going through, a divisive time.“Creativity has always proven itself brilliant at finding more of what we have in common than what we don’t.