Playing away

UK musicians wishing to work or tour abroad are suffering from a lack of collaborative, lateral and entrepreneurial thinking by Arts Council England (ACE) and the British Council (BC). A new report, ‘Supporting UK Musicians Abroad’ shows that there is currently little shared strategic planning, although both organisations have expressed a “significant appetite” for working more closely together. The BC’s support is perceived as “isolationist” and focused on short-term initiatives, while both the BC and ACE face calls to develop more flexible and pragmatic support. The report’s authors, Julia Payne and Adam Jeanes, note that some respondents’ views are “ill-informed” as a result of poor communication on the part of ACE and the BC, but they also identify gaps in current provision and make recommendations for improvements. The report also notes that some key showcases that help musicians to develop international opportunities and partnerships, such as South by South West and Sonar, have “reached saturation point”. Consultees called for more support for artists who are established in the UK to tour internationally, and identified lack of training or information for those interested in working abroad.
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supportingukmusicians