We are proud to have fought for our membership of the EU. Staying in the EU was always the best option for musicians. Photo credit: Shutterstock
We are proud to have fought for our membership of the EU. Staying in the EU was always the best option for musicians. Now, we’re heading into uncharted territory. Your rights as a musician will not change until December 2020. But nobody knows what is coming after that date.
Government must protect music
Not only is our industry worth £5.2bn to the UK economy, it also employs over 190,000 people. That includes over 31,000 musicians who make up the MU.
Government must protect the music industry. That means protecting the musicians whose skills and talents the industry relies on.
There are three big issues affecting us – visas, carnets, and the future of tax arrangements including VAT.
As music venues close and streaming means there is less money in recorded music, touring is plugging the gap. Traveling to perform has become more and more important to making a living. And the impact of any extra costs to touring could mean an end to all but the biggest names in UK music going out on tour.
That all means jobs lost, and less diversity in the stories we tell and are told.
Plus with any future arrangements being reciprocal, that means your favourite European artists might struggle to get here too.
Venues, festivals, theatres, and all those who rely on live performance are worried about what Brexit negotiations will mean for their futures as well.