Dealing with Brexit: Open Conversations is a monthly online event designed to provide an informal space to encourage information sharing between peers around touring post-Brexit. It is an opportunity to ask questions and to hear from professionals of the outdoor arts sector who’ve already had real-life experience of touring in a post-Brexit world and who can share learnings from their experience of navigating the new rules, helping to demystify Brexit.
March 2023
On this session, we heard from Terry James, General Manager at Rock-it Global, a freight forwarding and logistics company.
Terry has been working in the global touring music and theatre industry for the last 26 years, advising and consulting for some of the larger Orchestras and Touring bands in the UK. Since pre Brexit days he has been involved in panels discussing processes and requirements and presenting them to the industry representatives.
Notes for this session are available here. Read the presentation here.
December 2022
On the last of 2022’s sessions, we heard from Jens Frimann Hansen, Artistic Director of PASSAGE Festival (Elsinore, Denmark) and SO Festival (UK) and Toby Smith, Associate Director at FESTIVAL.ORG (Greenwich+Docklands Festival and Global Streets), who shared their experience on working with international artists from a festival organiser perspective.
Notes for this session are available here.
October 2022
On this session we heard from Ivan Thorley, the Artistic Director and Producer for Puppets with Guts. Ivan shared his experience of taking The Lips to La Mercè street arts festival (MAC) in Barcelona, Spain, in September 2022.
Notes for this session are available here and you can see this session’s presentation here.
May 2022
The May session was an opportunity to hear from Louise Richards, executive director of Motionhouse, who talked about her extensive experience touring around Europe and beyond, and how Brexit has impacted the processes and planning of international touring. Louise was preparing to tour in several European countries this summer, and explained the different approach and information needed for each.
Notes for this session are available here.
April 2022
In April 2002, we had the opportunity to hear from two outdoor arts companies just returning from performing at a showcase festival in Belgium (City of Wings in Ypres).
The guest speakers for this session were Silvia Fratelli form Mimbre, and Nikki Kennett and Tim Kennett from The Show Globe.
January 2022
In January 2022, the session focused on touring to Spain and clarifying the new rules announced in November.
The guest speaker for this session was Hanna Madalska-Gayer, Head of Policy and Communications, Association of British Orchestras (ABO)
In her presentation, Hannah talks about the ABO is, her role within the organisation and what it’s been like for their members to tour to Spain post-Brexit and the recent changes in the regulations for Spain. Speaking from the perspective of touring orchestras (larger groups) but also experience of the touring musicians engaged.
Find out more about our ongoing series of Dealing with Brexit sessions, and sign up to our mailing to find out when registrations open.
