10 Years After Brexit: What UK-Based Touring Artists Need to Know

Recent talks about a potential reversal of Brexit have brought hope to those who are dissatisfied with the implications of the U.K.’s departure from the European Union.

Speaking to the BBC, Prime Minister Andy Burnham suggested that there is a possibility a referendum on rejoining the EU could be included in a future election manifesto. In the future, he said, British voters might be given the opportunity to reverse the 2016 decision, which imposed many constraints on people on both sides of the Channel.

To many, this would be the right step forward. According to YouGov, 57% believe the U.K. was mistaken in leaving the EU, including 23% who originally voted to leave during the 2016 referendum.

But while broader talks are being held and countries like Germany, France, and Spain are voicing their support for the UK’s return, we’re far from witnessing it happen anytime soon. As CNBC reports, a general election is not expected before 2029. “Prime ministers are able to trigger an early snap election with the backing of parliament, but Burnham — who replaced predecessor Keir Starmer without a public vote — has ruled out such a move,” the news outlet says.

However you feel about Brexit, certain things have not become easier or remained easy since the UK’s departure. For us, it’s particularly interesting to examine how Brexit has affected artists from both the UK and the EU, and for many, it has been a tremendous inconvenience. The first major hurdle is the bureaucracy that comes with planning a tour. The second one is money.

For performing artists, bands, and DJs, things used to be easy: find the right venues or get booked, do the promotion, rent a van and pack your equipment, hop on stage, travel to the next show, and head back home, with little official paperwork involved.

Now, things look very different. Artists earning money from their shows need to go through a lengthy process of applying for permits and notifying the relevant authorities of their plans to visit the country and perform there. For UK artists playing in the EU, things are even more complicated, since the specific rules can vary from country to country.

John Arlidge outlines these complications in detail in an article for The Times, shedding light on how artists do or do not manage these issues. He points to music star Elton John, who has a “small army of highly paid lawyers, accountants, and administrators” to “keep the show on the road,” come what may. But Elton John is wealthy, so having all these professionals on his payroll is likely manageable.

If the big names are facing difficulties, smaller artists are undoubtedly facing even greater challenges. Arlidge spoke with Colin Schaverien, who manages tours for smaller artists from the UK. Touring used to be easy, he says, but now, bureaucratic and financial hurdles complicate matters. Let’s look into each one of them individually.

One of the first obstacles British touring artists encounter is obtaining their visas. Before Brexit, the UK was part of the Schengen Area, meaning that entering or leaving the UK and any other EU country was as simple as getting on and off a plane.

As UK Music explains, artists and their crews now have to navigate multiple visa systems when planning a European tour. “Although many EU member states allow some forms of short-term touring without work permits or visas, arrangements differ significantly between countries and are often limited, unclear, or subject to additional conditions,” the organization working to resolve issues impacting touring in Europe explains.

Visas aren’t the only paperwork that artists need to obtain. They also have to submit applications for customs passes and pay the associated fees. UK Music elaborates: “Carnets are costly, bureaucratic, and time-consuming. Fees can exceed £400 before security deposits are added, while larger productions—such as orchestras and theater companies—may face costs running into several thousand pounds.”

This process involves listing every single piece of equipment in detail, including the serial number of each individual item, which is clearly a lot of work. Carnets must also be stamped at designated customs checkpoints, which heightens the risk of delays.

Unfortunately, the struggles for UK bands don’t end there. Another major restriction for musicians is haulage limits. This gets a bit complicated, so let’s try to simplify it. All detailed information can be found on a dedicated UK Government page on transporting goods between Great Britain and the EU.

Musical instruments, stage equipment, and merchandise are all legally classified as commercial freight in the EU. Under the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, a UK-registered Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) entering the EU is restricted to making only two loaded stops within the EU. After that, it must either return to the UK or unload its cargo.

Artists planning to perform in multiple countries must follow these rules or, alternatively, rent an EU vehicle, though this can prove costly. Another option is to use standard 9-passenger vans weighing less than 3.5 metric tons, which are exempt from the rule. However, these vehicles can easily exceed the weight limits, since the weight of everything (including the passengers) is factored. Exceeding the weight limit risks heavy fines at customs checkpoints.

When an artist or crew member works temporarily in an EU country, local laws may require them to pay local social security contributions on their earnings in said country. They must obtain an A1 form, which serves as official proof that they are already paying social security in their home country. Carrying this form exempts them from having to pay social security multiple times across the EU member states they are touring through.

Next, there’s the 90/180 rule, according to which people can only stay in the EU or the UK for 90 days within a 180-day period. They must then wait 180 days before returning. As UK Music explains, “touring workers move between multiple productions or undertake extended rehearsals and tours across Europe. The current rules force individuals to carefully monitor their time in the Schengen Area, and in some cases have prevented artists and crew from taking on further work or even taking personal vacations.”

Merchandise is now subject to import duties when entering the EU and, if any items remain, when re-entering the UK. These additional costs make it less financially viable to bring merchandise on tour, particularly for less established bands and artists who rely on merch sales to supplement their income. Managing stock across borders has also become more complicated, adding to the administrative and financial burden of touring.

Finally, many EU funding opportunities are no longer available to UK-based artists and music organizations. This limits access to financial support for international tours, cultural exchanges, and cross-border collaborations. For independent artists and smaller organizations in particular, losing these funding options can make it harder to cover the already high costs of performing and working with partners across Europe.

The combined impact of these barriers has been significant. A report by European Movement UK found that more than a quarter of UK musicians have lost all their EU work since 2021. A recent report commissioned by the UK government also found that the total number of performances by British artists has fallen by 21%, and that the UK music industry has generated £208 million less in economic value. These figures highlight the financial and professional challenges Brexit has created for UK musicians seeking to tour across Europe.

Another consequence is that trying has become more difficult. Getting started is already challenging, especially in the early stages, when everything is a learning process. Touring has always involved financial risks, and not every tour delivers the results artists hope for. Before Brexit, however, it was more affordable to take those risks and learn from mistakes. Now, higher costs, additional bureaucracy, and the many things that can go wrong make failure more expensive. This can discourage artists from taking the first step and trying to tour Europe at all - understandably so, that is to say.