Visiting Artists and Academics

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    UK Parliament
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    Manifesto Club
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The UK Home Office has introduced new bureaucratic procedures for organisations that wish to invite non-EU artists and academics to the UK. As professionals committed to the principles of internationalism and cultural exchange, we are dismayed by these new regulations - which will curb our invitations to non-EU artists and academics to visit the UK for talks, artist residencies, conferences and temporary exhibitions.

The system is costly to both the host organisation and to the visitor, and has already meant a number of cancelled exhibitions and concerts. All non-EU visitors now must apply for a visa in person, and supply biometric data, electronic fingerprint scans and a digital photograph. The Home Offices 158-page guideline document also outlines new controls over visitors day-to-day activity: visitors must show that they have at least 800 pounds of personal savings, which have been held for at least three months prior to the date of their application; the host organisation must keep copies of the visitors passport and their UK Biometric Card, and a history of their contact details; and if the visitor does not turn up to their studio or place of work, or their whereabouts is unknown, the organisation is legally obliged to inform the UK Border Agency.

We, the undersigned, believe that these Home Office restrictions discriminate against our overseas colleagues on the grounds of their nationality and financial resources, and will be particularly detrimental to artists from developing countries, and those with low income. Such restrictions will damage the vital contribution made by global artists and scholars to cultural, intellectual and civic life in the UK.

10831 Signatures

  • Carol L
    • Title/position
    • artist
  • Jim B
  • Nicholas C
  • Jim
  • Matt D
    • Title/position
    • В
    • Comments
    • В
  • Dr Tim M
    • Title/position
    • Lecturer in Journalism, Birkbeck, University of London
  • Tim B
  • Shane S
  • Martin W
  • Matt C
  • Clive A
  • Nick
  • Elizabeth F
  • Luke C
    • Title/position
    • Artist
  • Tom C
  • Gini W
    • Title/position
    • artist/illustrator
  • Simon W
    • Title/position
    • Mr
  • Bob C
  • Traci K
  • J R
    • Title/position
    • В
    • Comments
    • В
  • Markus V
    • Title/position
    • Artist
  • noe m
    • Title/position
    • director, scottish documentary institute
  • Joe G
  • rachel h
  • Melissa B
    • Title/position
    • Artist
  • George M
    • Title/position
    • London
  • helen s
    • Title/position
    • artist/ lecturer
  • Frank E
    • Title/position
    • Composer
  • Vikas K
    • Title/position
    • Director, GemArts
  • Marguerite Caruana G
  • Louise C
  • Roy E
    • Title/position
    • Musician
  • Mischa M
    • Title/position
    • Managing Editor
  • Sarah M
  • Steven B
  • AnA W
  • Derek
    • Title/position
    • Artistic Director
  • Comerasamy Manick G
    • Title/position
    • Head of Artists' Advisory Services, Artsadmin
    • Comments
    • These regulations stifle creative freedom!
  • Josie A
    • Title/position
    • convenor, Manifesto Club
    • Comments
    • International artists/academics bring so much to the UK - we need more collaboration, not less
  • Dr Tiffany J
    • Title/position
    • director, arts and society programme, Institute of Ideas
  • Emily P
    • Title/position
    • Director, The Showroom
    • Comments
    • These regulations create unnecessary and unjust barriers to international exchange and will have damaging effects on the cultural sector
  • Pablo L
    • Title/position
    • Managing Editor, Afterall
    • Comments
    • These regulations hinder cultural exchange, and reinforce cultural and political hierarchies
  • Lola P
    • Title/position
    • Pianist & Composer
    • Comments
    • В
  • Ruth E
    • Title/position
    • Artist
  • Diane Gorvin and Philip B
    • Title/position
    • public artists/sculptors
    • Comments
    • Our practice has been greatly enriched by cultural international exchange. We will be unable to host non EU sculptors again, due to the new costs, complicated bureaucracy and the appalling prospect of having to monitor our colleagues travels and contacts within the UK.
  • Gerald S
    • Title/position
    • General Director, WOMEX
  • John E. M
    • Title/position
    • director
  • Sandy N
    • Title/position
    • Director, National Portrait Gallery
  • Zarina B
    • Title/position
    • Artist
  • Sukhdev S
    • Title/position
    • Writer & Chief Film Critic for The Daily Telegraph