WITH just eight months to go before Brexit, the government has still offered no concrete plans on long-term migration between the UK and the EU – and there are fears it could impact Edinburgh’s £300 million festivals. 

Earlier this week, The National revealed how the arts sector  had been told to draw up a “Plan B” in the event of a hard Brexit, but now musicians and actors have expressed their concerns.

A Musicians’ Union (MU) spokesperson said: “It’s worrying that the Home Office seems to be imposing difficult visa criteria for musicians from some overseas countries. Music should have no borders, and we’ve always been – artistically and culturally – a very welcoming country.

“If these difficulties continue our reputation as a country that embraces all arts and culture will be severely damaged.”

The actors union Equity has a series of campaigning objectives on Brexit, including on the loss of EU funding, free movement for workers, and opposition to a hard Brexit that would “devastate” its members’ careers, incomes and ability to look after their families.

“Nearly 10% of live arts organisations currently rely on the Creative Europe fund,” said a spokesperson. “Many others, particularly small theatres, make use of European Social Funding and other European financial support. Without these funds – and in an environment of severe local authority cuts – local arts are going to struggle.”

They added film and television also faced uncertainty, particularly Northern Ireland’s broadcasting sector. “Productions such as Game of Thrones have provided a massive boost to the local economy and have created loads of jobs for workers on both sides of the border.

“We urgently need firm guarantees about freedom of movement throughout Ireland in order to ensure the future of this work. Creative workers are highly

skilled but because of their unpredictable income and working patterns they do not always fit neatly into Home Office criteria for existing, let alone future visa regimes possible under Brexit.”