Artists and their crews from the UK will no longer need a visa to tour in Greece.
Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis made the announcement that the ruling will come into effect from Monday.
The Greek Government and figures from the UK and Greek music industry including LIVE members such as United Talent Agency (UTA)’s James Wright, Marshall Art’s Craig Stanley and Paul Fenn of The Entertainment Agents’ Association, worked together to secure the move.
Previously, artists travelling to Greece would have to apply for and receive a Schengen visa. But now, the ruling has come as a boost for live music post-Brexit.
The move is subject to review at the end of the year and artists and crew members will still face restrictions on touring. There is a three-stop limit to UK touring vehicles before they are able to return home, and there is a need to secure a goods passport or ‘carnet’ including a bond for instruments and equipment, which can be particularly pricy.
LIVE, the UK trade group for the live music industry, shared the news on its Twitter page.
Jon Collins, chief executive of LIVE, said: “This is a huge victory for both artists and fans, representing a further step towards the frictionless touring ecosystem needed by the live music sector.
“The prohibitive costs and bureaucracy posed by visa regimes threaten the export and growth of budding talent from across the UK, and while issues such as cabotage and carnets remain, we will continue to work on behalf of the sector to resolve these alongside our international counterparts.”
Image: Sebastian Ervi on Unsplash
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