The Worrying Future Of Touring UK Musicians Post-Brexit

The ISM is asking musicians to share their views via survey in order to protect the future of artists touring outside the UK.

Ever since the very announcement of Brexit, the UK has been in a constant state of turbulence as politicians have scrambled to work out the specifics of what the relationship between the EU and UK will be moving forward. Now that the UK has officially departed from the EU, the upcoming transitional phase is an imperative determining factor regarding how it will affect those living in the country.

Worries over how Brexit would affect touring musicians have been brought to light before, yet is now more urgent than ever. Musicians living inside, and working outside the UK are being asked for their views regarding what they believe is necessary for their careers regarding future trade deals between the UK, the EU as well as countries outside the EU.

The Incorporated Society of Musicians (shortened to ISM) has launched a survey asking musicians to speak up regarding what they feel is necessary to assure the best possible outcome for the artists after the Brexit transitional period. 

Many concerns have been raised: whether it’s the outstanding costs that come with securing relevant documentation to travel outside of the UK – which, alone, would be extremely harmful to musicians who are not at the level of superstar-success earning millions –  taxes, the transportation of equipment (importing and exporting), accomodation, healthcare, licenses and social security. The list of possible blockades to the future success of the UK music industry across is huge, and comes at the expense of emerging artists as well as mid-level artists who simply cannot afford these costs.

With the survey, the ISM aims to take responses in order to propose to the government affordable touring EU visas, an introduction of a customs mechanism that allows for transportation of equipment and further implementations that will soften the blow of Brexit on UK musicians.

Read more and be sure to fill out the survey here.