Impact of Brexit on Creative Industries Migration and Recruitment of International Talent
In a recently published research paper, experts from Liverpool John Moores University have highlighted the critical need for changes in the UK's visa system to help creative businesses compete on global markets. The report, titled "Impact of Brexit on the UK's Creative Industries: A Focus on Migration and Skills," emphasises the challenges posed by Brexit and the subsequent free movement restrictions, particularly for UK firms seeking to hire specialized foreign talent.
The authors of the report, Professor Ian Fillis, Professor Mohamed Haddoud Mohamed, and Dr. Tammy Murphy, recommend several key measures to address visa and travel barriers for foreign talent and touring artists.
One of the recommendations is the implementation of a visa waiver for UK artists touring in the EU. This would help remove costly and burdensome red tape that currently restricts British acts from performing at European festivals. The decline in such performances since Brexit has been significant.
Another recommendation is the reform of cabotage rules, which regulate transportation and logistical support for touring. Easing these complexities for UK music professionals, technicians, and crews would help smooth the touring process.
The authors also call for government engagement and collaboration with European partners to find solutions that allow smoother mobility for creative professionals across borders. This would help restore the UK's cultural soft power internationally.
The report details the results of a survey of employers commissioned by the Creative Industries Council, underlining the importance of foreign talent in these sectors. The UK's departure from the EU has introduced new barriers to the single market for British firms, and the Creative Industries, which rely more on foreign talent, particularly freelancers, than other economic sectors, have been particularly affected.
While the UK government has expressed commitment to strengthening trade relationships with the EU and promoting creative industries as part of its industrial strategy, the report underscores the urgent need to translate these intentions into practical visa policy reforms and reduced administrative burdens. The current post-Brexit visa and travel restrictions are a significant obstacle for foreign talent and UK artists alike, requiring immediate and concrete government action to mitigate ongoing damage.
The research paper reviews the current evidence for the impact of Brexit on the Creative Industries and presents an analysis of two stages of research. It is important to note that the report does not specify whether it covers both goods and services or only creative services.
Dr. Tammy Murphy, a faculty member at the Business and Law department of Liverpool John Moores University, and Professor Mohamed Haddoud Mohamed, an Associate Professor in Management at the British University in Dubai, were also involved in the research.
- The authors of the report suggest a visa waiver for UK artists touring within the EU to ease the restrictions and costs currently hindering British acts from European festivals.
- The decline in UK artists performing at European festivals since Brexit has been substantial, as highlighted by the report.
- The reform of cabotage rules, which regulate transportation and logistical support for touring, is another recommendation to help UK music professionals, technicians, and crews smooth the touring process.
- The report emphasizes the importance of foreign talent in the creative industries, stating that the UK's departure from the EU has introduced new barriers to the single market, particularly affecting this sector.
- While the UK government has pledged to boost trade relationships with the EU and support creative industries as part of its industrial strategy, the report underscores the necessity of translating these intentions into practical visa policy reforms and administrative burden reduction.
- The researchers involved in the study, including Professor Ian Fillis, Dr. Tammy Murphy, and Professor Mohamed Haddoud Mohamed, conducted an analysis of the impact of Brexit on the UK's creative industries, reviewing existing evidence and presenting their findings in two stages of research.
