The Stage

Working visa changes threaten London’s international programming

Published Tuesday 24 April 2007 at 15:35 by Nuala Calvi

A sudden hike in the cost of working visas is crippling organisations programming international artists and threatens to jeopardise London’s status as a centre for world culture, arts chiefs have warned.

Work permit visas have risen from £85 to £200 as of this month, while critics warn a new points-based immigration system being introduced early next year, which will require every artist to have a separate visa, is set to further increase the cost and bureaucracy involved in bringing over performers from outside the EU.

The cost of visas for the Barbican Theatre’s BITE season of international theatre would leap from £1,377 to £43,400, while the Barbican Hall would face a £100,000 bill for scheduling 20 orchestras, instead of £3,060.

Barbican Centre artistic director Graham Sheffield told The Stage: “This is a stealth tax on the arts and on internationalism in the arts. Coming on top of the recent Lottery raid for the Olympics, it feels like yet another kick in the teeth. I’m furious.”

Home Office officials announced last week they would be bringing forward the timetable for the UK’s new immigration system, intended to simplify applications by reducing the number of routes into the country from 80 to five. Group applications for companies such as orchestras will no longer be possible, while each person will have to visit a British consulate in their own country.

“It’s not only a massively increased cost, but massively increased bureaucracy because every person has to fill in a form,” added Sheffield. “Imagine bringing in groups from Senegal or more obscure parts of Africa - it will be very difficult for them to get all the necessary paperwork.”

South Bank Centre chief executive Michael Lynch said artists coming to do one-off concerts or tours were being caught up in a system designed for people moving to the UK permanently.

He added: “This is a decision that works against the interests of London in terms of being able to bring in the best of the world to the city.”

Despite being given a guaranteed place on a working group looking at the implications of the new system, the National Campaign for the Arts says the government has failed to address the concerns of the sector and that it will now be stepping up its lobbying activities.

However, a Home Office spokesman said the new system would make it easier for the government to manage migration to the UK and tackle abuse.

He added: “The PBS is not intended to make it more or less difficult for people to come to the UK. It makes the selection criteria more transparent and objective, and enables the UK to better select the people it wants.”