3. Michelle Thomson
(Falkirk East) (SNP)
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the
impact of Brexit on young musicians. (S6O-03422)
The Cabinet Secretary for
Constitution, External Affairs and Culture ()
The Scottish Government recognises that the United Kingdom
Government's decision to leave the European Union has had
profoundly negative consequences for musicians in Scotland.
It is particularly regrettable that younger and less
well-established musicians are likely to have
been more severely affected. Touring in Europe is now far more
difficult, given the need for costly visas and work permits, and
the customs restrictions. Stakeholders have indicated that
younger musicians who may be at the
start of their career might find those barriers harder to
overcome due to their being less well established and
experienced, with fewer resources.
The loss of access to the creative Europe programme has also had
a major impact. The programme played a vital role in facilitating
international cultural collaboration, helping young artists to
develop cross-border networks, share knowledge and learn from
their peers. The Scottish Government continues to call on the UK
Government to rejoin creative Europe.
Michelle
Thomson
At a recent round table that I hosted with the European Movement,
we heard compelling evidence of the impact of Brexit on young
musicians. It was testimony
from the singer Iona Fyfe that struck me the most. Still
relatively early in her career, she anticipates that the loss of
free movement into Europe will have a significant impact. If we
do not keep young musicians in the profession
who have opportunities to grow and learn and make contacts, we
risk much of the social infrastructure and, indeed, the wider
arts cluster. I am aware of the very good work that the Scottish
Government has done to understand the immediate concerns of
musicians generally, but is
the Scottish Government collecting data from young musicians specifically over
the longer term so that the wider impacts can be felt?
Michelle Thomson makes a very good point. We work with and
support organisations that support young Scottish musicians.
I was recently at the Scottish musical showcase Wide Days, which
does tremendous work in helping young musicians at the
beginning of their careers to springboard into European markets
for the first time.
I also put on the record our appreciation of the announcement by
the European Commission that it would welcome a youth mobility
arrangement with the United Kingdom, which would obviate many of
the problems that we have been discussing. It is extremely
disappointing that the UK Government has already rejected that
and, in some respects, it is even more disappointing that the
Labour Party dismissed it even before the UK Government did.
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland
Islands) (LD)
Shetland young fiddler of the year is an annual competition that
is held in April and that demonstrates the talent in the islands.
It is a great shame that our young musicians and touring
artists are being stifled by Brexit red tape. What constructive
engagement has the Scottish Government had with UK counterparts
to help to resolve those constraints and discuss any future
changes after a UK general election?
I would very much hope that, if there were to be a change of
Government at the next UK general election, the incoming
Government would look very quickly at U-turning on the rejection
of the European Commission's proposal for a mobility scheme. That
would be very welcome. It would also be very welcome if the
Liberal Democrats were to use their voice to speak in support of
the European Commission's proposal, which was eminently sensible.
In addition, anything that we can do to change people's minds
about schemes such as creative Europe and, for that matter,
Erasmus+ would be key. Where parties can work together across the
chamber to support youth mobility and to support the creative
sector through the likes of creative Europe, we should all
embrace that opportunity.
