Two-thirds of music businesses threatening to quit UK, Brexit survey reveals

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Following the publication of its survey on the impact of the Brexit Trade Deal on the classical music industry in the UK, Incorporated Society of Musicians have appealed to the government to take urgent action to support businesses who feel they have no option but to leave the UK.

‘Reducing the bureaucracy and regulatory burdens facing music businesses and wider creative industry is the urgent priority’ the ISM says in its survey conclusions. ‘With over two-thirds of respondents have considered moving some or all of their operations to the EU and almost one in ten have already begun moving, we need a significant intervention to save our sector.’

To achieve this, the ISM are calling on the UK Government to work with the EU to reduce the reduce the burden of cross-border bureaucracy that is hampering all areas of musical activity, such as payment of fees, haulage, touring and the ease of obtaining work permits in EU member states that do not currently offer cultural exemptions, such as Spain, Italy and Portugal.

There are also appeals for government to provide an emergency funding package for those operating in the music industry to compensate for the additional costs associated with the loss of work in Europe and decline in trade.

The full survey results can be downloaded here.