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Another repeated sentiment was that Brexit only stood to damage the UK’s “soft power” as a leading force in music, and that visa-free travel throughout the EU for artists and crew would be the easiest solution.
After the UK government said they put the responsibility for the lack of arrangements for artists at the foot of the EU and the European Commission then denied that they had rejected the UK’s “ambitious proposals”, yesterday’s debate saw the Conservative Minister for Digital and Culture in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media Caroline Dineage reject the idea that negotiating visa-free touring was an option and repeated that “the UK pushed for ambitious arrangements” but claim that “quite simply the EU rejected this and there was no counter offer”.
You may have read a lot about the Business Visits and Events Partnership, often abbreviated as the BVEP, but do you actually know what they do?
The BVEP plays an important role in advocating for the events industry and, together with its association members, known as partners, lobbies and communicates directly with Government.
What is the BVEP?
The BVEP is an ‘umbrella organisation , representing other events industry trade associations to Government. It says its vision is to support sustainable growth for the UK’s events industry.
It represents all aspects of the events industry, including those operating within conferences, meetings, exhibitions, trade shows, festivals, music, and more.
Now, ahead of the matter being debated in Parliament next week, many of the UK companies that help make touring possible look set to move to Europe in order to continue – taking a wealth of jobs of cash with them. This will deal a huge blow for live crew, who are still reeling from the impact of coronavirus shutting down touring.
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The 1975 live at The O2, London. Credit: Jenn Five/NME
Stuart McPherson is managing director of KB Events – a UK haulage company who have helped the likes of The Prodigy, The 1975, Ed Sheeran, Stereophonics and George Ezra all tour across the continent.
More than a dozen MPs and over 100 event industry executives have signed a letter to the chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak, copying in prime minister Boris Johnson, calling for him to implement a Government-backed insurance scheme for festival, live music and events or face them disappearing from our fields and cities for good.
The letter, written by DCMS Committee chair Julian Knight MP, follows the 5 January opening hearing of the Committee’s inquiry into the future of UK music festivals, during which festival operators emphasised the urgent need for Government support.
At a crucial point in festival planning schedules, MPs warn that organisers and investors are unable to risk repeating losses sustained in 2020 unless events can be insured against cancellation.