As Priti Patel has introduced new policies to crack down on immigration in the UK, the Incorporated Society of Musicians say it will “cut the legs off” the industry.
At current, creative arts in the UK is worth £111bn a year to the economy however, the Home Office is now at risk of threatening that.
The society has warned that stricter immigration measures may force EU artists to cancel their tours, which will ultimately affect the future of small independent venues all over the country.
Deborah Annetts – the Society’s chief executive – has described it as “taking a shotgun and shooting ourselves in the foot.” She continued: “The Home Office has failed to grasp that touring and the creative industries are not about immigration, but a global industry in which people move around all the time.
“This will cut the legs off the bottom half of the music industry. And what is going to happen to our small venues who will have to go through this process to bring artists across from the EU?”
As they hit back at the policy, they believe “enormous” numbers of musicians from EU countries will be discouraged by rising costs and the daunting process of applying to perform in the UK.
The post-Brexit policies mean that EU and non-EU based creatives must prove they have nearly £1000 in savings 90 days before applying for their visa to visit the UK.