Collective management organisation PRS for Music is calling on UK and EU policymakers to break down post-Brexit touring barriers.<\/p>\n
The plea from the UK-based CMO comes in response to data highlighting a 27% reduction in live performance claims by PRS members for small and medium-sized European events and festivals between 2019 and 2023.<\/p>\n
The figures were submitted by industry umbrella group UK Music, of which PRS is a member, in written evidence to The UK-EU reset<\/a> parliamentary inquiry earlier this year.<\/p>\n \u201cThis decline highlights how leaving the EU is disproportionately impacting mid-level and smaller artists,\u201d it said. \u201cReduced touring opportunities not only directly affects the artists and their crew unable to tour, but also songwriters who will see reduced royalties.<\/p>\n \u201cMany European festivals are choosing not to book UK artists, with the number of British artists booked for EU-based festivals down by a third on pre-Brexit levels, according to research from Best for Britain. Equally, some artists based in the EU are choosing not to tour the UK, or scale down their plans, due to the additional paperwork and costs.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no single solution to address the challenges impacting the music industry after leaving the EU. A comprehensive set of measures is needed across various areas to help restore our sector to its pre-2020 competitiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re working with industry partners to campaign for practical solutions that help musicians get back on the road\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n A new social media post<\/a> by PRS this week reads: \u201cLive music isn\u2019t just a show, it\u2019s a lifeline for artists, songwriters, venues and the entire creative ecosystem. We\u2019re working with industry partners to campaign for practical solutions that help musicians get back on the road and keep the live industry thriving across Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n The post was in response to a new study that revealed the number of British musicians set to play four major EU festivals this summer has fallen by a quarter compared to pre-Brexit levels.<\/p>\n Best for Britain\u2019s analysis of the bills of this year\u2019s lineups at Spain\u2019s Benicassim, Lollapalooza Berlin in Germany, France\u2019s Rock en Seine and Roskilde in Denmark highlighted a 26% decrease in UK acts on the 2017-2019 average.<\/p>\n Benicassim saw the biggest drop in British bookings at 58%, followed by Rock en Seine (32%) and Lollapalooza Berlin (18%), while Roskilde\u2019s numbers showed a 9% increase.<\/p>\n \u201cThis research makes all too clear how the current barriers to touring across the EU mean audiences are missing out on the full range of UK talent,\u201d says Jon Collins, CEO of LIVE. \u201cThat is an economic and cultural loss to the UK and EU that needs addressing urgently. To do so will unlock new opportunities for EU festivals, venues and audiences, strengthen our partnership and deliver economic gains for all parties.\u201d<\/p>\n Dave Webster, head of international at the Musicians\u2019 Union and chair of LIVE Touring, adds: \u201cThese stats from Best for Britain clearly show that UK acts remain adversely affected by the UK\u2019s withdrawal from the EU. We continue to press the government to make good on their manifesto commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe need immediate action \u2013 starting with a visa waiver and reform to cabotage rules \u2013 to restore access to European touring\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In May, hundreds of music industry professionals signed an open letter to UK prime minister Keir Starmer and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen ahead of the UK-EU reset summit organised by a group of UK and EU musical groups.<\/p>\n \u201cThe recent summit did progress matters, however it seems another summer will have passed with no direct reduction to the barriers musicians face on both sides of the Channel,\u201d adds Webster. \u201cWe do need to see some tangible results before more acts lose out, audiences lose out, and the economy loses out.\u201d<\/p>\n David Martin, CEO of the Featured Artists Coalition, adds: \u201cThe continued decline in UK acts at major European festivals shows that emerging talent is being locked out of crucial opportunities, with lasting consequences for careers and for the future of the music industry.<\/p>\n \u201cThe government made a manifesto commitment to fix this. That promise must now be delivered. We need immediate action \u2013 starting with a visa waiver and reform to cabotage rules \u2013 to restore access to European touring and support the next generation of UK talent.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index<\/a>, IQ\u2019s free email digest of essential live music industry news.<\/p>\n\n
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