London, June 28: Creative artists from across the world are welcome to come and perform in the UK, the Home Office said on Monday, responding to concerns by several writers and artists that the new points-based immigration system was ‘intrusive’.
A spokesman said: “Creative artists from across the world are welcome to come and perform in the UK. As part of our commitment to the industry, we work with organisers of international events to ensure they are aware of the application process and are able to help facilitate urgent cases.
However, as with any visitors to the UK, “we expect individuals to meet our entry requirements.”
In a letter to the Daily Telegraph, noted writers Salman Rushdie and several other writers and artists yesterday said that the points-based immigration system applicable to non-EU artists was “needlessly bureaucratic and intrusive”.
They described the system as “inappropriate for short-term visits by artists.”
Besides Rushdie, signatories to the letter include Hanif Kureishi, Hari Kunzru, Ruth Padel, Kamila Shamsie, Michael Morpurgo, Anita Sethi and Simon Singh.
They said: “Writers and performers who have long been welcomed by Britain now find that they are required to undergo a visa application process that is needlessly bureaucratic and intrusive.
Non-European Union artists wishing to enter the country have been treated poorly, either through the application process or at entry points”.
The signatories said that acclaimed artists, such as the Cannes Palme d’Or-winning director Abbas Kiarostami, and Grigory Sokolov, one of the world’s great concert pianists, had been dissuaded from future visits.
The letter said: “The ‘licensed sponsors’ system places a burden on arts organisations, many of which cannot afford the cost or cope with the administrative burden. Nor do they wish to be required (or are in many cases able) to ‘monitor’ the artists they invite.”
The signatories called on the David Cameron government to create a visitor route for artists and entertainers which did not distinguish between those who are and are not receiving payment.
This will enable artists to attend their exhibitions, writers to be paid for reading from their works, and musicians to be paid for performing.
—PTI