Just what has Brexit meant for touring performers, musicians and festival organisers? What are the parallels for other industries?
We cannot express the issue any better than Sir Simon Rattle, whose family are based in Germany, has applied for a German passport and said any musician with only a UK passport was at a disadvantage.
“People who are normally hired by organisations abroad are being told, ‘I’m sorry, we just don’t have the capacity to bring somebody from the United Kingdom, it is too complicated and too expensive’. What I worry about is how much music will have been lost, how many brilliant young musicians will not be able to do what they do, how many artistic lives will be ruined?”
Our panel (final diverse line-up tbc) includes:
Simon Dunbavand, organist, pianist, conductor and teacher
David Knopfler, singer-songwriter, founding member of rock group Dire Straits and now with twenty solo albums under his belt.
Ben Osborn, based in Berlin, works with asylum seekers and has provided music for theatre as well as a performer.
Milena Simovic, solo violinist and violist, member of the United Strings of Europe ensemble
Lucy Woolley, creative producer and coach, festival director of Lancaster Jazz Festival
