The Creative Industries Federation has published a new report on how, by acting now, the sector can safeguard against the impacts of Brexit.
The report, which explores the implications of Brexit and its influence on the creative industries makes suggestions for short, medium and long-term action to ensure the market is able to thrive outside of the European Union.
“We should immediately establish a government-industry partnership to tackle trade barriers and open up access to priority markets outside the EU,” the report says. “While full trade agreements are likely to take some years to conclude, it should be possible to start making progress through international dialogue and cooperation in the short-term. We should commit to making strong protection of IP rights a red line in future bilateral trade agreements, and ensure that we retain scope for continued public support for media and creative sectors.”
In the ‘medium-term’, the report calls for the UK to maintain inclusion in the EU ‘country of origin’ framework for regulation of audio-visual media services, while “protecting the territoriality of IP rights for the UK”. It also outlines the importance of a continued free flow of data with EU countries.”
The secured ease of movement between UK and EU countries for time-limited activities (touring, film production) is also highlighted.
As for the long-term, the CIF states that the British government should “explore the scope to improve the impact f creative sector tax incentives”, as well as look to reform the migration system, which its says would allow easy access to talent from countries both EU and non-EU countries.
In addition to its guidance on the sector’s post-Brexit strategy, the report shines a spotlight on some key areas of concern going forward, including the status of non-UK EU workers and their freedom of movement across the continent.
“Anecdotal evidence in sectors such as theatre suggest up to half of staff may be non-UK Europeans and there are strong international workforces in areas from architecture to video games,” says the report. “One major London venue reported around 40% of front-of-house staff fall into this category, which it believes helps them welcome audiences from around the world. The joint artistic directors of Birmingham’s Be Festival are both EU nationals who split their time 50/50 between Spain and the UK and need clarity on freedom of movement in order to plan future festivals. Businesses are already reporting an impact on recruitment with successful candidates from the EU turning down job offers because of the uncertainty over their future status in the UK, while others have reported an impact on the types of people applying.”
Furthermore, the report outlines the need for a visa system that works specifically for the needs of those working in the arts, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the creative industries and the regular need for diverse talents and skills.
“The creative industries include a large number of freelancers and portfolio workers employed on a project-by-project basis,” it says. “This is due to anumber of factors, including the finite nature of performance runs, productions and exhibitions, the travel requirements of international tours and the high levels of innovation in the sector – for emergent industries such as creative tech and virtual reality where development of technology and discipline is rapid, it is not possible to predict the skillsets that will be required at any one point in the future.
“These workers, and the organisations who contract them, require the ability to move around internationally for short periods of time. This must be recognised by future visa rules.” To view the report in full, click here.
