Visiting Artists and Academics

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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.

10832 Signatures

  • Roy S
  • Graeme M
  • David A
    • Title/position
    • Director of Learning and Interpretation, Victoria and Albert Museum
  • Charles H
    • Title/position
    • Director, Warburg Institute, University of London
  • Eva D
  • SLEAZY
    • Title/position
    • Professional Translator / Interpreter
    • Comments
    • It's a real shameful thing :(
  • Rowan C
  • Mat T
  • Lidia A
    • Title/position
    • Senior researcher
  • Sergey K
    • Title/position
    • composer
  • Mikhail M
    • Title/position
    • organist, musicologist, Assoc.Prof., St.Petersburg Conservatoire, RU
  • Anna K
  • Pauline F
    • Title/position
    • Dr
  • A S B
    • Title/position
    • East London Community Foundation
    • Comments
    • В
  • Mila K
    • Title/position
    • Prof St Petersburg conservatoire
  • Lidia A
    • Title/position
    • senior researcher
  • Atta K
    • Title/position
    • Artist/Art Historian
  • Olga M
    • Title/position
    • Associated Professor, St. Petersburg Conservatory
  • Sean W
    • Title/position
    • Branch Secretary UCL UCU; Snr Research Fellow
  • Catherine L I
    • Title/position
    • Emerita Professor of English, University of Kent
  • JAKE
    • Title/position
    • THIS BARBARIC UK FOREING POLICY
    • Comments
    • UKBA IS UNREASONABLE& NOT EFFECTIVE
  • anna v
  • Tim M
    • Title/position
    • Design Lecturer
    • Comments
    • В
  • Thomas W
  • Max R
  • Almir
    • Title/position
    • Refugee Week UK Coordinator
  • Quinton S
    • Title/position
    • Label Manager - Strut Records
    • Comments
    • В
  • Brad H
    • Title/position
    • General Manager, World Music Network
  • Nickens N
    • Title/position
    • Musician
    • Comments
    • Please solve this problem soon
  • Jane C
    • Title/position
    • world music critic
  • Renu h
    • Title/position
    • musician
    • Comments
    • Stop killing art and culture. Musicians and artists are of no threat. You Philistines.
  • Julie I
  • Debbie L
  • Jo R
    • Title/position
    • Director, Oxford Contemporary Music
  • Nicole S
    • Title/position
    • producer, production manager at brut Wien
  • Simon C
    • Title/position
    • Director
  • Bill B
  • Hazel C
  • Anna R
  • mariana p
    • Title/position
    • artistic director
    • Comments
    • artists are responsible to boost the self steem and bring a new level of engagement for the communities in UK.
  • Leah B
  • Edgar Jose Coutinho De O
    • Title/position
    • Video artist
    • Comments
    • Can you imagine London without people from all over the world,music,art exibition, and people with different thinking? I cannot.
  • Adriano A
    • Title/position
    • Mr
    • Comments
    • I think it is vital for artists to be allowed into the UK without so many restrictions.
  • Eleanor C
  • Howard M
  • Robert F
    • Comments
    • Well, I guess we're well on the way down paranoid road to join the Americans.
  • Ivan A. Flores C
    • Title/position
    • В
    • Comments
    • В
  • Katrin N
  • Rose S
    • Title/position
    • Freelance Journalist
  • Gemma W
    • Comments
    • This is a damaging, backward and badly-thought through set of regulations. Please rethink.