uk arts and culture cancelled, by order

8/14/2019 Uk Arts and Culture cAncelled, By Order

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Josie Appleton &

MAnick GovindA

MAnifestoclub

uk ArtsAnd culture

cAncelled, byorder of thehoMe office


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Contents

UK Arts and Culture: Cancelled, b Order o the Home OceThe Impact o New Restrictions on Visiting Artists and Academics

Executive summar

The new points-based sstem

Maniesto Club Visiting Artists Campaign

The damage done to UK arts/academia

Cancelled: Music

Cancelled: Visual Arts

Cancelled: Dance

Cancelled: Theatre

Cancelled: Academic Visits

Cancelled: Literature Festivals

Penalising Small Organisations

Penalising Cash-Strapped Perormers

Bureaucratic Errors/Heav Handedness

Surveillance o International Visitors

A Bad Reputation: Isolating UK Arts

Campaign For Free Movement

Appendix


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UK ARTS AND CULTURE: CANCELLED, By ORDER OF THE HOME OFFICE 1

Executive summar

the new points-bAsed systeM

In November 2008, the Home Oce introduced a new points-based sstem(PBS) and visa restrictions, which aected international artists and academicsvisiting the UK or talks, exhibitions, concerts or residencies.

The new points-based sstem includes harsh new controls on non-EU visitors,including:

Visitors now must appl or a visa in person and suppl biometric data,electronic ngerprint scans and a digital photograph;

Individuals must either show that the have at least 800 o savings,which have been held or at least three months prior to the date o theirapplication, or the host organisation will maintain and accommodate themigrant until the end o their rst month o emploment in the UK;

The host organisation must keep copies o the visitors passport and theirUK biometric card, and a histor o their contact details;

I the visitor does not turn up to their studio or place o work, or theirwhereabouts are unknown, the organisation is legall obliged to inormthe UK Border Agenc.

These measures have alread had a disastrous eect on UK arts withcancelled concerts, talks and visits across the UK. The Home Oce haslargel consulted with larger organisations and stakeholders - groups thatare more likel to be able to cope with the bureaucratic hurdles involved.

As a result, it has not heard the anger and disma rom the man thousandso smaller organisations and individuals who are being aected. This reportis the rst surve o the cancelled arts and academic events, which are thedirect result o the new entrance requirements.

MAnifesto club visitinG Artists cAMpAiGn

The Maniesto Clubs Campaign against the Home Oces restrictions

launched in Februar 2009, with a letter to the Observer signed bartists including Anton Gormle and Jerem Deller, and heads o artsinstitutions including the directors o the National Theatre and NationalPortrait Galler. [1]

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[1] www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2009/eb/22/9


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Our campaign sparked an extraordinar response rom artists andacademics, in the UK and across the world. [2] Nearl 6000 people havesigned our petition. Man others have sent us email testimonies, completedour online surve, or joined our Facebook group. Over the past ewmonths, we have received hundreds o testimonies rom people who have

experienced these regulations rst hand.

the dAMAGe done to uk Arts/AcAdeMiA

Case studies cited in this report include:

Two cancellations o high-prole concerts b the Russian classicalpianist Grigor Sokolov;

The cancellation o a visit b Iranian lm director Abbas Kiarostami,to direct Cosi an tutte or English National Opera;

The closure o the Swansea-based Ballet Russe, whose dancers wereunable to get Visas;

The Canadian singer Allison Crowe was detained at Gatwick,then deported and told she would not perorm in the UK again;

A number o cancelled arts workshops and academic talks;

Man non-EU academics and artists sa that the will no longer visitthe UK because o these regulations;

Several UK universities are having diculties putting together internationallecture series;

Arts organisations who are reporting extreme dicult include: BelastChildrens estival, jazz clubs, salsa and tango dance clubs, Gregorianchoirs, communit theatres. Man arts organisations sa that the canno longer invite non-EU artists;

Several cases o incompetence/aggression b border ocials, includingstudents Visas rejected because the did not have the correct backgroundcolour in their photographs;

A number o cases o artists unable to visit because the did not meet the800-savings requirement;

International students are being subjected to new levels o surveillanceon campus, including: passport checks, putting attendance registers

online, and biometric ID cards.

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[2] www.maniestoclub.com/visitingartists


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Within the arts/academic communities, there is widespread concern thatthese measures:

Discriminate against overseas artists/academics on nancial grounds;

Punish small and independent arts organisations, and are particularllikel to reduce ringe/experimental arts events;

Increase surveillance o non-EU visitors, sta and students, and damagethe relationships between artists, academics and their students;

Isolate UK arts and damage the UKs reputation as a centre orinternational arts;

Contradict the UK governments stated aims to support the arts andcultural exchange.

These new regulations will do little to stop terrorists who are unlikel to gothrough ocial channels - but are instead hampering UK arts organisationsthat are alread struggling in a recession.

We call on the Home Oce to urgentl reconsider the new immigrationpoints-based sstem, and to carr out a thorough review o its eects -beore more damage is done to Britains artistic and intellectual lie, andinternational relationships.


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cAncelled: Music

There have been two cancellations o high-prole concerts b the Russianpianist Grigor Sokolov, a regular perormer in the UK:

The Russian pianist Grigor Sokolovs show at the Barbican was cancelledbecause o the necessit or the new biometric visa. For ears Sokolovwas able to appl or his visa b prox, but the new regulations meanthe would have had to personall travel rom Verona, where he lives, toRome, to provide ngerprints. His replacement show, scheduled or April2009 at the Roal Festival Hall also had to be cancelled, ater he lost a

ear-long battle to agree a mobile visa solution.

Such cancellations have led to considerable anger rom organisers andmembers o the public:

"This has already had a negative eect at Tate on artists and disappointed

ticket holders when a concert in a major programme had to be cancelledbecause the musicians could not obtain their visas stop it!"

The Canadian singer Allison Crowe was detained at Gatwick, then deportedand told not to re-enter the countr to the annoance o ans:

Allison Crowe, 27, and her two band mates were ngerprinted and hadtheir passports conscated shortl ater fing into Gatwick Airport. Shesaid the were shut in a room where the were denied contact with theoutside world or six hours and that she was told she would never perormin Europe again once her passports had been stamped b the UK Border

Authorit as barred rom entr. [3]

"This legislation means that my avourite Canadian singer/songwriter AllisonCrowe will never be allowed back into Britain."

Arican musicians are nding it particularl dicult to deal with the newprocedures, since the ma need to travel to another countr to obtain a Visa:

"I run a music touring agency that brings musicians to perorm in the UKrom, amongst other countries, Mali. The visa application rules have recently

changed again, with the likely eect that no Malian nationals will be able toaord to apply or UK visas in Arica, leaving Paris as their only chance toget them, provided they are also working on France on the same tour. Thiswhole process in Dakar will not only take 2 weeks (allowing or travel) but

JAMES OBRIEN branch secretar

PCS, Tate Galleries

LAURA JANE NOTT nurse

DAVID FLOWER Sasa Music

Promotions ltd

[3] www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/5358603/Canadian-musician-held-or-11-hours-at-Gatwick-beore-deportation.html


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will cost any group thousands o pounds. Return ights to Dakar, 10 days inhotels in Dakar plus welare. My current application is or 7 people. A roughestimate would be 5-6000 (plus costs o visas). The result is that, unless theycan apply successully in Paris, groups will no longer consider it aordableto come to perorm in UK. UK audiences will be deprived o the chance to

watch artists o the calibre o Tinariwen, Oumou Sangare, Toumani Diabate,Bassekou Kouyate, Super Rail Band, Rokia Traore and many others. Theseare some o the fnest artists currently on the international scene."

West Arican jazz band Les Amazones de Guine had to pa 3500 totravel rom Guinea to Freetown, Sierra Leone, to obtain ngerprints ortheir visas. This was a waste o time and mone, however, since the bandwas reused entr to the UK.

"We had to cancel the closing perormance o an arts estival SAMA SouthAsian Music & Arts due to an artist being reused a visa and stranded inPakistan. Other artists rom South Arica were almost reused entry to UK,luckily our letter o support eventually allowed them entry."

There are also diculties or Russian and Georgian choirs, who have beenrequent visitors to the UK:

"The Russian church choir that has visited us annually or many years is nowfnding great difculty in entering the country. The singers always go hometo Russia ater their tour and could not present any kind o threat, so why arethey subjected to the indignity o being treated as potential criminals?"

"Every time I have organised a tour or Georgians, the UK visa and workpermit requirements have become more complicated and a lot moreexpensive, why has the UK adopted this policy o deterring artists romoutside the EU?"

Restrictions are also having an impact on the jazz and club scene, especiallor more alternative music:

"In the past I have been able to organise entry or various musicians todo 3 10 date tours o UK, obtaining a work permit via a small London

club that Im involved with (one venue used to be able to apply or a workpermit covering several dates and venues); all are proessional musicianswith international careers & recognition, some in a long-standing band;and sometimes I would bring in an individual to work with UK musicians providing the opportunity or a collaboration that couldnt otherwise occur.These visits werent done or money; returns were low or the work involved,but they were rare opportunities to hear the musicians together, oten on thewilder shores o ree improvised jazz. I now have to fnd a promoter or someother to sponsor a tour - the band thereore will have to be a airly assuredsuccess fnancially, and ft the sponsors taste. The more experimental music

will be heard less, and the bands that were made up o predominantly UKmusicians with one incoming musician will not exist."

ARTS MANAGER UK regional

culture initiative

JEREMy HUMMERSTONE Vicar o

Torrington, Devon

KATHERINA GARRATT-ADAMS UK

manager or MTIEBI Traditional

Georgian choir

LEE PATERSON Gobetween


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"These rules will make it almost impossible to eature musicians rom outsidethe EU."

"We have decided not to book artists outside o the EU because we do nothave the capacity to deal with the extra administrative work, nor the unds to

allow or the possibility o last-minute cancellations, due to reused visas."

"This will make it much more costly and difcult or promoters and agenciesto book me to play in the UK."

cAncelled: visuAl Arts

Several artists have been prevented rom visiting their opening shows:

"These are absurd regulations which have already aected an artistrepresented by our gallery who was reused a visa to come to installhis show in February and attend the opening."

Chinese artist Huang Xu was reused a visa to attend his exhibitionat Londons October Galler.

There have also been cancelled artists residencies:

"Artsadmins artist Anne Bean invited a young Kurdish-Iraqi artist over or theVisiting Arts Artists to Artists Programme. Although she received a certifcateo sponsorship rom a licensed sponsor she was reused a visa."

"An Indonesian artist, Wiwik S Wulandari, was invited to undertake athree-month residency at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG)as part o plAAy, their 2 year Contemporary Asian Art Programme. Theresidency was due to run rom mid-January March 2009 and the initialinvitation was issued in August 2008. In the period between Aug Nov2008, Ms Wulandari attempted to apply or an Artist Visa rom the BritishEmbassy in Indonesia, however time ater time they issued her with the

incorrect application orm, frst or an entertainers visa, then actors visaetc. When they fnally came to place her in the correct category as a visualartist the new laws had come into eect. Due to the lack o time by thatpoint or BMAG to register as a sponsor and be able to issue a certifcateo sponsorship the museum had no choice but to cancel her residency.Subsequently, due to the cost o the partial reund on already booked ightsor Ms Wulandari and now the unoreseen costs o sponsor registration andsponsorship ees, BMAG have had no choice but to cancel Ms Wulandarisresidency indefnitely. BMAG have or many years worked previously withinternational artists rom across the Asia Diaspora (including Indonesia)

and all artists in the past were able to undertake residencies with an easilyobtained Artist Visa. As well as this residency the rest o plAAy programmewill certainly be impacted, with residencies and an exhibition planned withartists rom Japan, China and Thailand among many others."

JOHN AMOS publicit assistant,

Plmouth Jazz Club

SEGUN LEE-FRENCH Speakeas

(spoken word and music

night), Manchester

NEW yORK PERFORMER

AND PRODUCER

FABIO ROSSI galler director

MANICK GOVINDA Artsadmin

AMy CHAM Blackburn


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Some arts organisations report that the will no longer be able to invitenon-EU artists:

"Overseas artists have been important to our programme o events.Under the new rules, we simply cant invite them rom outside the EU."

"As international artists and curators working in London, we are nowincreasingly anxious about our status. We also fnd the new regulationslimit the artists we can consider inviting to be in our exhibitions."

I curated a large-scale exhibition or Cambridge University Museum oArchaeology and Anthropology, called Pasika Styles, which eatured32 artists rom the Pacifc. These new regulations would make it extremelyhard or me to continue and sustain relationships that have been built upover the our years or which the exhibition was showing (the regulationshave already aected an artist who has been oered much work overhere but no Visa).

As well as some cancelled arts events:

"In the last two weeks alone weeks two events I had booked have beencancelled due to these new visa regulations."

cAncelled: dAnce

We have received several testimonies about the collapse o the unique andpopular Ballet Russe, a small compan based in Swansea which wasorced to close ater months o expensive negotiations attempting to secureVisas or its principal dancers.

"For the past ten years, a small Russian Ballet Company has made its homein Swansea, taking the highest standards o Russian Classical Ballet to smallvenues throughout the UK. A ew o the older dancers have been grantedresidency but when we applied or Work Permits or the younger members,

who had gone home to Russia to see their amilies in summer 2008, theauthorities raised endless problems ranging rom whether or not the concepto Russian Classical Ballet even existed, to suggestions that we shouldadvertise the vacancies in a national newspaper rather than in DanceEurope. We put the whole sorry situation in the hands o a specialist solicitorat considerable expense but with scant success and the process draggedon so long that two couples got ed up with waiting and ound other work.We did fnally get one male principal back or a month in January but sincethen the company has had to stop touring and the UK resident dancers areteaching and translating. So the UK has been deprived o a unique art orm

that was being taken to out-o-the way places where ballet o any kind israrely seen, countless British children rom local dance schools will no longerhave the opportunity to take part in proessional productions o Nutcracker,Copplia, Cinderella, La Fille Mal Garde and other avourite classics,coached by a Bolshoi-trained Artistic Director/Choreographer."

JON BOWEN director,

Ten Acre Trust

PIL AND GALIA KOLLECTIV

IA MANUIA artist, curator, lecturer

rom Aotearoa NZ

SUSAN BAILEy photographer

CELIA KIRKBy FRSA director, Ballet

Russe (www.balletrusse.com)


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"Home Ofce obstruction to the issuing o work permits to Principal Dancerso Swansea Ballet Russe who had already been in the UK or many yearshas not only deprived UK audiences o much appreciated world class balletbut also ruined the lives o the dancers (who had supported and raisedthousands o pounds or charity over the years in the UK), and caused Ballet

Russe to cancel all its bookings and go seriously into debt. I believe that theHome Ofce, while having the power to interpret the rules with commonsense, have ailed to do so - bringing itsel and the Governmentinto disrepute."

"These measures have caused our small Russian ballet company - RalletRusse - to cease to unction - seeing the amount o taxes & Vat they earnedor the country it is a huge disgrace. Also the dancers made their homeshere or 10 years - what have they got to go back to?"

The UKs vibrant tango scene has also been aected, with establishedestivals now becoming a bureaucratic nightmare.

"Am trying to organise a major International Tango Festival, and thisis a bureaucratic nightmare."

"These restrictions will drastically reduce the chances o good Argentinetango dancers being able to enter the country as no small venue couldaord to pay a ee to the government on top o the ee payable to the twoArgentine artists. Thus these restrictions severely impair the developmento tango in the UK."

We have reports o a similar eect on salsa and Arican dance:

"As a keen amateur salsa dancer I have already been aected by theserestrictions, which have prevented Cuban dancers rom entering the UK toteach at Salsa Congresses. The cultural exchange that takes place throughsalsa across the UK is hugely enriching to the lives o people in the UK, andactively promotes community cohesion through multi-racial and multi-culturalevents. These restrictions discriminate against people rom developingcountries and limited resources who will not be able to take valuableopportunities that visiting our country may also provide."

"I train in Arican dance and beneft most rom young Arican tutorsteaching here on work visas. I have already been aected by cancellationso courses due to tutors visa problems when they were due to travel rompoor countries."

Some international dancers are choosing not to visit the UK or tours:

"I am shocked to hear that to attend a conerence as an artist or student,I am now required to give over biometric inormation. This is an injustice

or visitors. I am now not going to the UK this year - on my trip I havetaken every two years since 2004. The UK is losing people rom everysingle direction."

KIRKBy RONALD FRANK Deput

Chair, RSA Wales & Western Region

CHARLOTTE LEADBEATER artist

and lecturer

SIMON WHITTLE administrator

ANTHONy M HOWELL artist and

author, and Tango Schumann

SARAH CLARK amateur

salsa dancer

JULIE FOUNTAIN

MARNIE ORR dancer


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cAncelled: theAtre

We have received reports o theatre proessionals unable to enter the UK,cancelled workshops, and international theatrical collaboration that must

now be called o. This particularl aects smaller theatre groups:

"With very recent experience o a valued theatre colleague no longer beingable to enter the UK, the new limitations placed on cultural exchange andartistic reedom, that can only be o beneft to society at large, appal me."

"Our organisation has had to cancel a workshop by a leading practitionerwho elt he could not ace the incredible bureaucratic mess and get thepaper work done in time how many more will there be?"

"I have direct experience o a project which could not proceed becauseo the restrictive conditions placed on long - term residents in other EUcountries, invited to perorm in the UK as part o a cultural exchange.The costs associated with such procedures also inhibit exchange betweensmaller cultural and arts organisations."

"This legislation makes meaningul cultural exchange outside the EU verydifcult and as the director o a small experimental international theatrecompany could make planned exchanges with North and South Americaalmost impossible."

cAncelled: AcAdeMic visits

There are several cases o academics reused Visas or planned trips:

The Russian artist and academic, Dmitr Vilensk, was invited b TheShowroom Galler and Aterall Journal in London to give a seminar onhis work on 17 Januar 2009. The galler was orced to cancel theseminar when Valensks visa application was rejected, on the grounds

that he was not allowed to be paid a ee or participating in the seminar.A urther appeal, with the proviso that he was not to be paid, wasalso rejected. Valensk had never aced such restrictions on his manproessional visits to other European countries.

Academic researchers and students are choosing not to visit the UK, andcancelling conerences or stud trips. This is aecting academic areas rommusic to medical sciences:

"Ater the introduction o the new regulations, Ive cancelled one trip to UK

where I was supposed to attend a meeting related to an international, EU-unded project. Since all my scientifc work at the time was related to thatproject, it was rather stupid that I wasnt there. This year I chose not to attendthe European Conerence on Eye Movements in Southampton, even though Iwas approached to give a presentation there."

SARAH KANE theatre

director, Michael

Chekhov Centre UK

MELANIE WyNyARD

PAUL HARMAN chair, Theatre

or young Audiences-UK,

Centre o ASSITEJ

JULIA LEE BARCLAy artistic

director, Apocrphal Theatre

NON-EU SCIENTIST


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ALPER PhD student and researcher

DR PAUL GOODEy head o school,

Roal Northern College o Music

DAVID ZINDER Pro Emeritus

Department o Theatre Arts,

Tel Aviv Universit, Israel

FRANK ABBOTT programme leader,

Visual Arts Masters, Nottingham

Trent Universit

TAMAR GARB Proessor

WILLIAM ROWE Proessor

SAM AINSLEy senior lecturer in ne

art, Glasgow School o Art

TERRy SHAVE Proessor o ne art,

Head o Visual Arts, Nottingham

Trent Universit

JIM HINKS editor

"As a non-EU researcher, I already cancelled one visit to UK due to thelengthy and ridiculous visa application procedures."

"The measures this government have introduced, and plan to introducewill without doubt - have a detrimental eect on the UKs arts and the

UKs education. Already, I am seeing international students turn us downas they are not allowed to work in their chosen feld: perormance. Thisnew proposal takes such draconian measures one stage urther a tragedyor the culture o this country."

"I recently cancelled a long-planned two week workshop or MastersStudents at Exeter University Drama department due to these draconianand demeaning measures."

More broadl, universities are nding it dicult to organise internationallecture programmes and conerences:

"This is already aecting our ability to maintain the teaching o aninternational curriculum to our international student body. Part o thereputation o UK art education is its awareness o international contexts,through its ability to introduce students to visiting international artists."

"As head o department or a major Art History department in a UKUniversity, I experience the new legislation as a crippling initiative, whichmakes it very difcult or us to host overseas artists and academics. It willstie intellectual lie in the UK."

"These measures serve no positive public service. They are already causingme trouble with American guests to a conerence."

"We are currently engaged in organising radio interviews with visitingartists, a symposium with visiting artists and a major retrospective exhibitiono art rom Glasgow involving artists who now live abroad (and who canblame them). All o this is put at risk by this astonishingly short sighted andill conceived piece o unnecessary bureaucracy. STOP it in its tracks now."

"We have already met this problem. Our students will suer without the

breadth o international visitors who give one-o lectures to them aboutpractice and projects."

cAncelled: literAture festivAls

Literar agents and estival organisers are nding it more dicult to gettheir authors over to give talks. This could have the eect o reducing non-EU

publications available in the UK:

"Its become very difcult to bring non-EU authors here to launch theUK publication o their books (events which generate essential publicity).



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ALI FITZGIBBON director, Belast

Childrens Festival

ISOBEL DIXON literar agent

MONTSERRAT GILI co-artistic

director, Dende Collective

LEE PATERSON Gobetween jazz

MALCOLM FERRIS academic,

research and exhibitions

development

CLAUDIA ZEISKE, director,

Deveron Arts

CHRIS BRERETON promoter

I ear that, as a secondary result o this legislation, well see even ewer titlesby non-EU authors published in translation in the UK."

"This legislative change is damaging international cultural relations or ourcountry and hampering our work. It must be changed to reect the needs

o industry and exchange."

"As a literary agent with many author clients rom around the world (romSouth Arica, India and the USA, or example), I think these ridiculouslyonerous terms will have a severely detrimental eect, and will prevent manyoverseas authors rom visiting the UK."

penAlisinG sMAll orGAnisAtions

Man o our case studies come rom small organisations and sel-emploedindividuals who are less able to bear the nancial and bureaucratic costso these new Visa controls. These organisations are responsible or the moreringe and cutting-edge arts in the UK.

"Small art organisations like ourselves will be deprived o important andinteresting collaborations with artists rom abroad. We have many links withBrazil, and produce work with a Brazilian inuence here in the UK and orus its very important to keep that channel open, and be able to invite artists

rom there, but not being a regularly unded organisation, we work on verytight budgets and usually understaed, these new regulations orce us to giveup any attempt at collaboration."

"Im sel-employed, not eligible or sponsor status."

"As someone involved in curating small-scale events (or example, withChinese perormance artists) which are difcult enough to arrange inthemselves but which add enormously to the vitality o the UK, I am horrifedat the unreasonable costs and obligations this legislation will place on me,as well as any visiting artists. I can see that this legislation will eectively

bring these activities to an end."

"The new legislation is unbelievably restrictive or arts organisations. Inparticular or smaller organisation it is now next to impossible to bring artistsinto the country on a legal basis. We would like to hear rom others howthey deal with this."

"This will have a huge eect on the DIY music scene and other marginalart orms that dont necessarily attract much in the way o grants and otherunding. Its the grassroots, small-scale art perormances that will suer the

greatest as the bigger institutions and artists will be able to fnance andsatisy the Home Ofce proposed requirements."



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MARIA OSHODI CEO/artistic

director

KIM ANDERSON visual artist

DR RICHARD POVALL

TIM SANDERS saxophonist/arranger

with Kick Horns, and contributor

to albums b Baaba Maal,

Oumou Sangare, Rachid Taha.

SUSAN SELLERS proessor

"The new changes have greatly eected Extant, a small perorming artscompany that engages with international artists to maintain a wider networkwithin the feld o visual impairment."

penAlisinG cAsh-strApped perforMers

We have received a number o reports rom people unable to meet the 800savings requirement o the new regulations:

"I have had to leave the UK and am not able to enter at this current time dueto lack o available unds (ie. the 800 pound bank account requirement)."

"We have already had a student rom Zimbabwe unable to attend becauseo these new regulations (on fnancial grounds)."

Others are being aected b the increased costs and nancial riskso application:

"As a musician with strong connections with other musicians rom thedeveloping world through my work with Arica Express, I am appalled at theeectively racist outcome o these new procedures. Many concerts by Aricanmusicians o international standing have already been compromised orcancelled or economic reasons."

"I am extremely worried about the implications these restrictions will haveon non-EU students. They are discriminatory against students rom poorerbackgrounds and countries and appear at odds with the governmentscommitment to recruiting international excellence. I maintained, they willhave a devastating impact on learning, making it primarily an arena othe wealthy."

bureAucrAtic errors/heAvy hAndedness

There have also been a number o cases o Kakaesque and heav-handedtreatment o applicants, particularl rom those considered dicultcountries:

The Iranian lm director, Abbas Kiarostami, cancelled his trip to directCosi an tutte or English National Opera. "I want to be absolutel clearthat m decision was based solel on the disgraceul treatment to whichI was subjected. I travel regularl to France and Ital and am no strangerto the bureaucratic dances we Iranians need to perorm to obtain visas.

However, the actions o the [British] embass were o a wholl dierentorder. His paperwork was deemed correct, and he gave ngerprints,he said. A visa was dul granted. A ew hours later it was withdrawnand I was asked to resubmit m application. I did so immediatel and



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MARINA DE ITA musician

AMELIA CAVALLO Multiple

was asked or a second set o prints. When I pointed out m prints wereunlikel to have changed I was told this method had been usedto catch over 5,000 criminals worldwide. He decided to withdraw. [4]

"Beore being denied, I was treated really bad, under investigation or

around 12 hours, enclosed in a room with people considered suspicious.We were all just rom Latinoamerica, Arica or Asia."

We have also received reports o errors and incompetence b borderocials:

"I am an actor/musician rom the USA who was denied a visa that I qualiyor based on a number o mistakes that the Home Ofce made, includingsending the reused application to the wrong address where it sat or weekswithout me knowing. Ater hiring a lawyer and fghting it out with the HO,I managed to get the visa that I originally qualifed or and come back to theUK. Unortunately, I missed out on 3 months o work which seriously hampersmy ability to make enough money to switch to a more permanent visa.I also have companies who are willing to sponsor me but are fnding thenew regulations difcult, to say the least."

In one case a group o students had their applications reused due tothe background used in their photographs. Universit College Union [5]

surveillAnce of internAtionAl visitors

The Universit and College Union (UCU) reports that the new Visa controlsmean academic sta have an obligation to monitor their internationalstudents, and report them to UK border authorities in cases including:

When a student does not enrol on the course at the expected time,the inormation must be given within 10 working das and mustinclude an reason given (or example a missed fight);

Where a student has missed 10 expected interactions (or example,tutorials, submission o coursework etc);

An suspicions that a student is breaching the conditions o hisor her leave;

Detailed requirements o record keeping and reporting or upto two ears ater the student is no longer sponsored.

UCU also reports that rom 25 November 2009, the government will begin

issuing biometric ID cards to all non-EU students and spouses and this willextend to students appling or loans in 2010. Existing student visas will notbe renewed without providing bio-metric data and obtaining the ID card.

[4] www.guardian.co.uk/lm/2009/ma/09/iranian-kiarostami-director-cancels-visit

[5] www.ucu.org.uk/media/pd/k/g/pbs_seminarreport_apr09.pd



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ED SCHEER president, Perormance

Studies International

UNIVERSITy COLLEGE UNION

DENNIS WONG Southampton

UCU branch

DR. RAIMI GBADAMOSI artist

UCU BRANCH, UNIVERSITy

OF WALES Lampeter

UCU BRANCH, GOLDSMITH

COLLEGE, UNIVERSITy

OF LONDON

IWONA BLAZWICK OBE, director,

Whitechapel Galler

Universities and colleges will be required to keep photocopied recordso the biometric cards.

Academics sa that these rules turn universities into branches o the police,interere with their relationships with their students and undermine academic

autonom.

"Arts organisations and universities are not extensions o theHome Ofce."

"One o the more pernicious eects o this new system will be to turn ourmembers into an extra arm o the police orce placing monitoring andreporting responsibilities onto academic and support sta."

"The claim o institutions becoming international becomes nothing o thesort, as responsibility shits towards surveillance and removal, and awayrom welcome and cultural exchange. Southampton University UCU opposesthe introduction o the points based immigration system and supports themotion o the UCU black members conerence denouncing its introduction."

The UK Border Agenc (UKBA) had wanted an even greater degree osurveillance: Universities UK report that the ought strongl against theUKBA in advising institutions on how or what tpe o student to recruit. [6]

There are reports o universities introducing new surveillance procedureso international students and sta:

"I had to take my passport to Nottingham last week to give a talk. Theuniversity apologised prousely, but still made me bring it. It was to makesure I was not a oreigner."

"The university wishes to check the legal documents o all sta to establishwhether they have the right to work in the UK. The employer states this isin order to comply with equality legislation the University carries out checkson all employees whether or not they are UK citizens."

"Sta are now being asked to put their attendance registers online, and

are being told that i they dont make a point o doing this that Goldsmithscould lose its licence or recruiting international students."[7]

A bAd reputAtion: isolAtinG uk Arts

A number o artists, dancers and academics expressed concern that thesemeasures would damage Britains reputation or high-qualit arts, and asa hub or international collaboration.

"The barriers these regulations present to artists rom around the world willmake a terrible impact on Britains reputation as an international centre or

[6] www.ucu.org.uk/media/pd/k/g/pbs_seminarreport_apr09.pd

[7]www.ucu.org.uk/index.cm?articleid=3705



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CELIA KIRKBy FRSA, director,

Ballet Russe

DR TOM GRETTON senior lecturer

PAUL HURLEy academic/artist,

Universit o Bristol

HELEN GILBERT proessor o theatre

LORNA HUTSON proessor o

English literature, Head

o the School o English,

Universit o St Andrews

DANNy DEANE US Musician

LOIS HAyES Australia

SyLVIA FINZI, Slvia Finzi Studios

INDEPENDENT ARTIST London

New york perormer and producer

ANNA LUCAS artist

the arts. For over 100 years, the Whitechapel Gallery has celebrated globalcultures and generated dialogue between western and non-western artists.This ruling will impede international exchange; and deny local and nationalaudiences the opportunity to encounter important art rom abroad."

"Perhaps worst o all, the reputation o the UK as a ree-spirit embracing artand culture rom all parts o the world is at an all time low certainly in thedance community worldwide and no doubt in other artistic circles."

"This is a very serious threat to the high international reputation o UK highereducation and the UKs status as a hub o the international art world."

"These draconian measures are already proving detrimental to the UKsintellectual, cultural and o course fnancial economy, and will only continueto do so. They must be reconsidered."

"The new immigration laws make Britain look like a laughing stock andare particularly inappropriate when transnational dialogue is key to fndingsolutions to some o the worlds more intractable problems. The Britishgovernment has unded me to invite scholars here or high level debateon key public issues - are they now going to make it impossible or meto run the symposia or which Ive been unded?"

"We risk making the UK more parochial, less o a participant in world-leading international research collaborations, by means o these bureaucraticimpediments to short-term international visits and conerence travel."

We have received some angr comments rom international visitors,suggesting that this damage to national reputation is indeed occurring:

"This is not what our athers ought or in WWII giving 4 years o servicein the UK to help protect our English cousins I was denied entry/detained/then deported - it was an insult to his memory."

"Yet another very good reason why Australia should cease its ties with themonarchy. In reality, the UK does not consider Australia part o their realm."

More broadl, artists elt that the reduction in international collaborationwould have a negative eect on their work and on their relationshipswith ellow artists across the world:

"My work would be impoverished by the reduced exchange."

"Reduced international exchanges could harm the quality o my work,rendering it more 'provincial'."

"This could increase the reputation o the UK having an 'island mentality'."

"As both a recipient o overseas hospitality, and as a host to a varied andtalented selection o overseas artists, I would reinorce claims that the newregulations seriously hinder the opportunity or vital exchange, collaborationand dissemination o ideas and riendships across nations."



18/20

ALAN PAyNE arts manager

BILL COLLINS CHAIRMAN

Mevagisse Male Choir

DARREN ABRAHAMS

JOHN TAyLOR record producer

PAULINE HADAWAy director, Belast

Exposed photograph galler

PRUE SKENE chair, Rambert

Dance Compan

cAMpAiGn for free MoveMent

There is widespread anger within the arts and academic sectors: theseregulations are seen as pointless, restrictive, and in bad aith.

Man people who contacted us expressed the view that these regulationswould do nothing to stop terrorism and instead would have a sel-destructive impact on everda lie in the UK.

"The eects o these regulations appear to be contrary to core valueso a Western democracy. Looks like a win or the Islamists."

"Central government seems intent on doing the terrorists work or them;i.e adversely aecting the British way o lie and ostering an air oxenophobia."

"The war on terrorism is turning into a war on everyone. Time to stopand see sense."

"We urgently need to snap out o the philistine, paranoid mindset wheresecurity trumps all else, including common sense."

There is a widespread commitment to the ideals o international exchange,and the benets o artists and academics collaborating across borders. Someare calling or the arts and academia to deend the ideal o international

reedom o movement.

"Organisations need to become more assertive and to review andstrengthen their policy around international exchange. To this endorganisations should reer to their mission statements and establisha philosophical basis or their policy alongside a set o criteria ordefning and selecting artists."

"The internationalism o the arts is a principle and a need that mustbe upheld and it is hugely important that these restrictive measuresare resisted by all who value cultural interchange."

In a letter to the Guardian, a number o academics have alread said thatthe will bocott the new regulations. [8] There are man more like them.We call on the Home Oce to take account o the damage these regulationsare doing and to consider revoking them.

[8] www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/14/immigration-higher-education



19/20

To sign the petition, see

the campaign page:

www.maniestoclub.com

/visitingartists

Appendix

Maniesto Club

The Maniesto Club campaigns against the hperregulation o everdalie. We support ree movement across borders, ree expression and reeassociation. We challenge booze bans, photo bans, vetting and speechcodes - all new was in which the state regulates everda lie on thestreets, in workplaces and in our private lives.

We believe that the reedom issues o the twent-rst centur cut across oldpolitical boundaries, and require new schools o political thought, and newmethods o campaigning and organisation.

Our rapidl growing membership is composed o ree thinkers and reespirits, rom all political traditions and none, and rom all corners o theworld. Their support is essential to us. Members contribute nanciall toenable us to organise events and campaigns, and to release publications.Our membership is also essential to the intellectual, political and

organisational work o the club. To join this rapidl expanding groupo ree thinkers and campaigners see: www.maniestoclub.com

Freedom Summer

This report is published as part o Freedom Summer - the Maniesto Club'span-European series o events standing up against the Hperregulation oeverda lie. Events run rom Ma to September, and include: a picnic onBrighton beach against booze bans; a sports da against vetting; a photo-book against ludicrous saet signage; and debates about reedom

in Prague, Venice and Paris.

Maniesto Club Visiting Artists Petition

The UK Home Oce has introduced new bureaucratic procedures ororganisations that wish to invite non-EU artists and academics to the UK.As proessionals committed to the principles o internationalism and culturalexchange, we are dismaed b these new regulations - which will curb ourinvitations to non-EU artists and academics to visit the UK or talks, artist

residencies, conerences and temporar exhibitions.

The sstem is costl to both the host organisation and to the visitor, and hasalread meant a number o cancelled exhibitions and concerts. All non-EU



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visitors now must appl or a visa in person, and suppl biometric data,electronic ngerprint scans and a digital photograph. The Home Oces158-page guideline document also outlines new controls over visitors da-to-da activit: visitors must show that the have at least 800 pounds opersonal savings, which have been held or at least three months prior to

the date o their application; the host organisation must keep copies o thevisitors passport and their UK Biometric Card, and a histor o their contactdetails; and i the visitor does not turn up to their studio or place o work, ortheir whereabouts is unknown, the organisation is legall obliged to inormthe UK Border Agenc.

We, the undersigned, believe that these Home Oce restrictions discriminateagainst our overseas colleagues on the grounds o their nationalit andnancial resources, and will be particularl detrimental to artists romdeveloping countries, and those with low income. Such restrictions willdamage the vital contribution made b global artists and scholars to cultural,intellectual and civic lie in the UK.

About the Authors

Josie Appleton is convenoro the Maniesto Club. She hascoordinated man o the clubscampaigns, against CRB checks,

booze bans and other orms ostate hperregulation o everdalie; written man o the clubsreports and documents; and editsManiesto Club publications. As ajournalist and writer, she commentsrequentl on contemporarreedom issues.

Manick Govinda coordinated

the Maniesto Club visiting artistscampaign. He is Head o ArtistsAdvisor Services at Artsadmin.He also works as Producer orArtsadmin and has worked onZarina Bhimjis Out o Blue (2002)and Franko Bs Oh Lover Bo (2001)and Still Lie (2003). He is currentlworking with Zineb Sedira, yaraEl-Sherbini and Zarina Bhimji.

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