A government-commissioned report has found that the total number of performances by British artists in Europe in 2024 was 21% down compared to 2019, with the decline attributed to new costs and restrictions imposed after the UK left the European Union.
The report estimates the UK music industry and other performing arts sectors lost £208 million in gross value added and about 2,490 jobs between 2022 and 2024. When the UK left the EU in 2020, musicians and performers faced visa and travel permit rules that differ from country to country, alongside customs procedures, transport restrictions, and tax complexities around merchandise sales.
Small and mid-scale artists, freelancers, crews and hauliers have been disproportionately affected, according to the report. Emerging artists in particular "faced reduced opportunities to build audiences, develop professional networks and sustain career progression, with implications for diminished future export growth and international market development".
The report also calculates economic impacts on EU countries, stating that reduced touring by UK musicians after EU exit led to an estimated total loss of approximately £1.04 billion in gross value added for EU host countries, with Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Ireland the most affected.
The report was based on industry interviews and data provided by PRS. John Mottram, chief strategy, communications and public affairs officer at the collecting society, said: "Behind these figures are real people, songwriters and composers who are being held back by costly red tape, missing out on chances to connect with new audiences, progress their careers and earn a living from performances across Europe."
Labour's 2024 manifesto included a commitment to "improve the UK's trade and investment relationship with the EU" by "tearing down unnecessary barriers to trade", specifically referencing touring artists. The music industry has been pressing the government to deliver on that promise.
The Cultural Exchange Coalition, which brings together organisations from across the UK and EU creative industries, said the report "clearly shows that touring by UK artists and companies across the EU delivers significant economic and cultural value for both sides". The coalition has urged the UK government and European institutions to secure practical solutions at the next UK/EU Summit.
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