The UK Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) committee certainly has its dander up when it comes to urging changes in the music industry. Its latest report focuses on the barriers British artists face when touring Europe.
Yes, this is a post-Brexit thing. The report runs through the challenges that artists face, particularly young and emerging musicians. Cross-border travel and work, movement of goods, and transport and logistics are its three focus areas.
The report offers plenty of thoughts on how the British government can fix these problems: negotiating with the European Union and individual member states to ease the red tape, while also providing more support and advice to artists.
“This is not about renegotiating Brexit, it’s about addressing the issues that weren’t covered off in the first place and finding new ways to support our touring artists,” said the committee’s chair, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP.
“We heard clearly that there is strong demand for our talented performers from audiences across Europe, so it is in the interests of both sides to work together to find a solution.”
Industry body UK Music has welcomed the report, with chief executive Tom Kiehl throwing an extra punch at Brexit’s “disaster of a deal between the UK and EU which totally forgot the needs of touring musicians, performers and cultural workers”.
