Brexit is an issue that has been on everyone’s mind for a while. The political and economic effects of leaving the EU have created a lot of public concern. Most of the political debate has revolved around things like immigration and business trading. The question of art and culture in Britain has not been talked about much, which has left people wondering what effect Brexit will have on the UK’s creative industry. Here is a look at some of the ways in which Britain’s exit from the EU may impact British art.
Tighter borders and stricter travel regulations could make it harder for British art exhibitions to tour Europe. Getting across EU borders will be more time-consuming and may cost a lot more due to visa laws. Being part of the EU allows for seamless travel throughout the member states, which makes it a lot easier for artists and dealers to showcase their work to a much wider, international audience. Freedom of movement will become a lot more restricted after Brexit, making it more difficult for British artists to display their art across the continent.
Buying and selling art within Europe could be more expensive depending on the methods you use. If you’re selling your art privately and directly, then you could see an increase in cost due to potential import tariffs. Those who import their artwork from within the EU may see a similar price increase after Brexit. However if artists sell their work through an already existing distributor like Art2Arts, then they won’t be as heavily impacted thanks to our established industry links and global distribution channels.
One of the big concerns throughout the creative and cultural sectors in the UK is the issue of funding. Being part of the EU means that Britain has access to the Creative Europe program, which provides funding to support the promotion and growth of creative industries. This funding has helped hundreds of companies, organisations and art-based schemes throughout the UK. Losing this funding means that the cultural sector may take a big financial hit that would affect creative education in schools, as well as museums and organisations that rely on donations and outside funding. This is particularly worrying because it could restrict the amount of opportunities for people to get involved with art. Although any artist or designer knows that the love of art and culture will persevere through anything.
