Brexit has “exposed severe social divides”, according to a new report by the UK’s Creative Industries Federation. The report provides the most detailed published assessment of the impact on culture of leaving the European Union (EU). It follows a survey just before the June referendum which showed that 96% of its respondents wanted to remain in the EU.
According to the federation’s chief executive, John Kampfner, “our job now is to be intensely practical and not to indulge in laments, but to work very closely with government to deal with problems and also to identify opportunities for beneficial change”. The report is being presented today (27 October) to Karen Bradley, the secretary of state at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Among the key issues is the future of EU nationals in the creative industries. The federation estimates that they represent 10% to 40% of the sector’s workforce. Among areas singled out by Kampfner are commercial galleries in London, which employ a high proportion of EU citizens.
The Tate’s outgoing director, Nicholas Serota, has also expressed concern, telling the federation that the Tate has “depended very much on our ability to employ people from across the EU”. He does not want “artificial barriers” erected to make it harder to attract the people with necessary skills.
Another area of anxiety relates to EU funding through bodies such as Creative Europe and the European Regional Development Fund. The federation’s report is calling on government to “quantify the total benefits to the creative and cultural sectors from EU funding” and ensure that this is “at least maintained” after Brexit.
The report also considers whether the UK will host the European Capital of Culture in 2023, as had been arranged. Leeds, Dundee, Milton Keynes and possibly Bristol are preparing bids. The Creative Industries Federation points out that the UK government “has yet to state its position”, although the bidding process should begin this autumn.