EU and UK Cultural Figures Urge Action on Touring Barriers

More than 300 music, live performance and cultural organizations across the UK and European Union have written to British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and EU leaders, calling on them to use an upcoming summit to break the deadlock over touring between the UK and the EU.

Open letter:

• The second UK-EU summit will take place in Brussels on Friday November 20, where Prime Minister Burnham will meet António Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.

• The Cultural Exchange Coalition (CEC), which represents organizations across music, dance, theater, visual arts and the wider cultural sector, has written an open letter urging leaders to make urgent progress in removing barriers that continue to restrict UK-EU touring.

• The coalition is calling for practical solutions to ease the movement of touring professionals and essential equipment, as well as structured dialogue to strengthen cultural exchange between the UK and EU.

• Among the artists backing the campaign are Dame Evelyn Glennie, Jools Holland, Belgian conductor Dirk Brossé, and Level 42 bassist Mark King.

The cost of Brexit:

• According to UK Music research, 34% of music creators surveyed in 2025 said their earnings had been impacted by the UK leaving the EU.

• An August report by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) estimated that the UK lost £208 million and 2,490 full-time equivalent jobs between 2022 and 2024 within the touring sector.

• A separate report, The Economic Benefits of Touring and the Impact of EU Exit, estimated that the decline in touring by UK musicians across Europe resulted in losses of £1.04 billion and 17,010 full-time equivalent jobs in EU member state economies.

What they said:

• Gus Unger- Hamilton, alt-J keyboardist and vocalist: “Touring around Europe cheaply and easily was a vital part of alt-J's early success, which has since taken us back to these countries countless times, providing employment for our crew and supporting European venues and festivals. Unless something is done to break the deadlock that is the current situation post-Brexit I don't see a future for emerging British artists being able to do what we did, which will be detrimental to both the UK and the EU.”