Last year, the government announced it had secured visa-free travel to around 20 EU countries. Still, artists say performing there is often too expensive, with issues such as equipment checks, lost instruments and long delays at the border forcing some to cancel tours and concerts. It comes after the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Music last month called on the Government to appoint a dedicated ‘Tour Czar’ to sort out the issues. Anabella Coldrick, chief executive of the Music Managers Forum, told Sky News that the extra red tape, particularly for younger artists, makes performing in the EU financially unviable. “Many of the things we were worried about before Brexit in terms of new bureaucracy, additional rules, additional costs have come true, even though the government assured us many, many times that this was not going to happen. “We’d like to see some really clear guidance. I think at the moment it’s so complicated to understand exactly what you have to do and what you don’t have to do. And it’s so easy to trip up and get fined and get in trouble and have delays.” . The organization says live music makes up up to 80% of an artist’s income. Bristol-based singer Elles Bailey usually tours around a dozen EU countries each year – and has built up a large European fan base. But the complications have led to a reduction in her concert plans, with one tour already canceled this year. Subscribe to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker “I think right now there’s just a huge amount of uncertainty. We have to prepare ourselves to stop being held,” he said. “In the past we would go on the day of the concert and be in Antwerp on the day of the show with long hours. Now we have to go a day early. “We have to factor in the extra hotel costs, taking the team on the road for an extra day, so there’s extra travel and band costs with that.” Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 2:25 The cost of living hits Glastonbury The APPG on Music – which is made up of more than 100 MPs and peers – published a report which included a statement from Sir Elton John, who warned that less established artists could be at risk of being “stuck in Dover”. “The government had a golden opportunity to fix the problem while COVID shut down the tour. While some progress has been made, that opportunity has been let slip,” he said. “The heartbeat and future of our vibrant industry face being stranded in Dover through no fault of their own.” Image: Sir Elton John has warned that some artists have been ‘locked out of Dover’ London-based band White Lies had to cancel the opening gig of their European tour in April after their van was held up for checks in Dover. The band’s drummer Jack Lawrence-Brown told Sky News it was both a financial and emotional success. “It’s hard for our fans too because a lot of White Lies fans will be traveling from all over Europe to come to the first day of the European tour and even further afield,” he said. “Before Brexit, we were able to jump on a tour bus and then our van was loaded with all our gear. We would drive to Dover, straight to France and start playing shows straight away with no real hassle or problem. “I believe that any decisions made by the government in the future should aim to bring the system as close as possible to what it was before Brexit.” Read more: ‘Every barrier in the world went up overnight’: Some bands skip UK due to Brexit Elton John warns smaller gigs risk ‘locked out of Dover’ due to Brexit red tape The group Best for Britain – which previously campaigned against Brexit – claims the number of UK artists booked for European festivals this summer is down 45% compared to 2017-19. In a statement, the government told Sky News: “We are supporting the UK’s brilliant musicians to adapt to the new arrangements and make touring easier and we have made the case to every EU member state about the importance of touring. “Twenty-four EU Member States, including major tourism markets such as Spain, France, Germany and the Netherlands, have confirmed that they offer visa-free and work permit routes for UK artists and other creative professionals. We are continuing the dialogue with them the few remaining countries that do not offer routes without a visa or work permit”.
