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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Visa refusals starve UK’s arts festivals of world talent | Visa refusals starve UK’s arts festivals of world talent |
| (5 months later) | |
| As international arts festivals in the UK, we are very concerned by the rise in refusals of artists’ visas to perform at festivals, including the Edinburgh international book festival and Womad. | As international arts festivals in the UK, we are very concerned by the rise in refusals of artists’ visas to perform at festivals, including the Edinburgh international book festival and Womad. |
| The current visa application process for artists is lengthy, opaque and costly, with artists and/or festivals often spending thousands of pounds on visas and associated costs for a visit of often only a few days. The overly complex process leads to mistakes being made by both applicants and assessors, and refusals being made for visas that could theoretically be granted. | The current visa application process for artists is lengthy, opaque and costly, with artists and/or festivals often spending thousands of pounds on visas and associated costs for a visit of often only a few days. The overly complex process leads to mistakes being made by both applicants and assessors, and refusals being made for visas that could theoretically be granted. |
| Artists have to surrender their passport while the application is considered. Although the Home Office aims to complete most visa applications within 15 working days, applications can take much longer. There is no way for the inviting festival to find out the progress of a visa application, or answer any questions that arise, leading to refusals where missing information or documentation could easily be provided. | Artists have to surrender their passport while the application is considered. Although the Home Office aims to complete most visa applications within 15 working days, applications can take much longer. There is no way for the inviting festival to find out the progress of a visa application, or answer any questions that arise, leading to refusals where missing information or documentation could easily be provided. |
| The situation has led to artists now telling festivals they are much more reluctant to accept invitations to come to the UK due to the visa process, despite the assistance we receive from bodies such as the British Council and UK embassies across the world. | The situation has led to artists now telling festivals they are much more reluctant to accept invitations to come to the UK due to the visa process, despite the assistance we receive from bodies such as the British Council and UK embassies across the world. |
| While we recognise the need for scrutiny of visa applications, and appreciate mechanisms such as permit-free festivals, we suggest a number of key developments which we believe will help alleviate this situation, including the following: | While we recognise the need for scrutiny of visa applications, and appreciate mechanisms such as permit-free festivals, we suggest a number of key developments which we believe will help alleviate this situation, including the following: |
| • Direct contacts for registered sponsor organisations within the UK visas and immigration and/or visa application centres. | • Direct contacts for registered sponsor organisations within the UK visas and immigration and/or visa application centres. |
| • Reduction in costs for artists’ visas. | • Reduction in costs for artists’ visas. |
| • Passport pass back as standard procedure. | • Passport pass back as standard procedure. |
| • Clarification of appeal procedure. | • Clarification of appeal procedure. |
| • Online updates on process of visa applications. | • Online updates on process of visa applications. |
| The UK has a rich history of hosting the best artists from across the world, and these refusals directly reduce UK audiences’ opportunities to see and engage with international artists. We request that the UK government considers these changes to ensure the free flow of arts and ideas into the country.Nick Barley Artistic director, Edinburgh international book festivalChris Smith Director, Womad festivalsEckhard Thiemann Artistic director and Daniel Gorman Executive director, Shubbak: A Window on Contemporary Arab CultureSyima Aslam Director, Bradford literature festivalMonica Ferguson Chief executive and artistic director, IF: Milton Keynes international festivalBill Gee Creative director, IF: Milton Keynes international festivalJohn E McGrath Artistic director and chief executive, Manchester international festivalEmma Gladstone Artistic director and chief executive, Dance UmbrellaPeter Florence Director, Hay festivalsAndrew Comben Chief executive, Brighton festivalMelanie Iredale Deputy director, Sheffield Doc/FestDonald Shaw Director, Celtic ConnectionsRuth McCarthy Artistic director, Outburst Queer Arts festivalHelen Medland CEO and artistic director, Sick! festivalRichard Wakely Artistic director and chief executive, Belfast international arts festivalKris Nelson Artistic director and joint CEO, LiftLiz Holmes Director, Knockengorroch World CeilidhAdrian Turpin Artistic director, Wigtown book festivalTaher Qassim Chair, Liverpool Arab Arts festivalMiguel Oyarzun Co-director, BE festivalEleanor Livingstone Director, StAnza festivalDonald Smith Director, Scottish international storytelling festivalAlistair Moffat Director, Borders book festivalBob McDevitt Director, Bloody Scotland festivalTom Baker Director, Field Day | The UK has a rich history of hosting the best artists from across the world, and these refusals directly reduce UK audiences’ opportunities to see and engage with international artists. We request that the UK government considers these changes to ensure the free flow of arts and ideas into the country.Nick Barley Artistic director, Edinburgh international book festivalChris Smith Director, Womad festivalsEckhard Thiemann Artistic director and Daniel Gorman Executive director, Shubbak: A Window on Contemporary Arab CultureSyima Aslam Director, Bradford literature festivalMonica Ferguson Chief executive and artistic director, IF: Milton Keynes international festivalBill Gee Creative director, IF: Milton Keynes international festivalJohn E McGrath Artistic director and chief executive, Manchester international festivalEmma Gladstone Artistic director and chief executive, Dance UmbrellaPeter Florence Director, Hay festivalsAndrew Comben Chief executive, Brighton festivalMelanie Iredale Deputy director, Sheffield Doc/FestDonald Shaw Director, Celtic ConnectionsRuth McCarthy Artistic director, Outburst Queer Arts festivalHelen Medland CEO and artistic director, Sick! festivalRichard Wakely Artistic director and chief executive, Belfast international arts festivalKris Nelson Artistic director and joint CEO, LiftLiz Holmes Director, Knockengorroch World CeilidhAdrian Turpin Artistic director, Wigtown book festivalTaher Qassim Chair, Liverpool Arab Arts festivalMiguel Oyarzun Co-director, BE festivalEleanor Livingstone Director, StAnza festivalDonald Smith Director, Scottish international storytelling festivalAlistair Moffat Director, Borders book festivalBob McDevitt Director, Bloody Scotland festivalTom Baker Director, Field Day |
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| Edinburgh festival 2017 | Edinburgh festival 2017 |
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