

After months of negotiations, the UK and the EU finally reached a deal on 24 December 2020 which will govern their new partnership, effectively starting on 1 January 2021. New barriers have materialised that will make it more difficult for European and British citizens to visit, work and settle in each other’s countries. We at DutchCulture strongly believe that cooperation and exchanges across the EU-UK borders must continue. In support of that belief, DutchCulture signed a joint statement drafted by the European Cultural Foundation, the Goethe Institut, the British Council and several others expressing that: “We consider Brexit an igniting moment in a time that creates a new positive sense of urgency and forges a renewed commitment to building and strengthening shared European cultural spaces, of which the UK has always been and will always be part.”
What will the new EU-UK partnership mean for cultural exchange? The end to the freedom of movement of people, services and goods between the UK and the countries in the EU/EEA and Switzerland means that cultural professionals will need to spend more time, energy and money navigating the administrative hurdles now in place. It remains to be seen how the various aspects of the EU-UK agreement will work out in practice. The introduction of a new framework of UK immigration rules currently coincides with a set of restrictions on mobility intended to limit the spread of COVID-19. However, artists in the future will certainly want to travel around multiple countries for work in a short period of time. They need to be able to simultaneously plan years in advance and to take part in projects at short notice.
Although it might seem daunting, it is vital to not be put off by the new administrative obstacles. We advise you to start preparing early to make sure all relevant paperwork is processed in time. You can expect paperwork when you wish to obtain a short-stay work visa and to declare your equipment and merchandise when you pass through customs. The British Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) has conducted a survey and found that UK performers have already suffered a loss of opportunities, work and income since the referendum in 2016 due to uncertainty about their mobility rights post-Brexit. The creative sector in the United Kingdom is petitioning the UK government to negotiate a special visa scheme enabling free travel and work for up to 90 days for British artists in the EU.
Whereas European citizens need to learn about the new British immigration system, British citizens will now, like all other non-EU visa-free nationals, need to deal with all the separate immigration systems in all the languages of the EU countries they used to travel to effortlessly for work. DutchCulture's Mobility Info Point supports individual makers and organisations by providing information and advice on continuing their cultural exchange across borders.
DutchCulture is monitoring the consequences of the UK’s exit from the EU both for cultural organisations in the Netherlands that wish to hire a British citizen and for EU citizens that wish to work in the creative sector in the UK. We have prepared a FAQ that will be continuously updated with answers to questions that you might encounter. We encourage you to share your questions and experiences with us via infopoint@dutchculture.nl.
The answer is probably yes. The UK left the EU officially on 31 January 2020. However, both sides agreed to keep many things the same until 31 December 2020, to allow enough time to agree to the terms of the new trade deal. If the British citizen settled in the Netherlands before the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020 by registering at the city hall, that person is eligible to file an application for a residence permit under the Withdrawal Agreement until 30 June 2021. The British citizen will receive a residence permit that states ‘Residence Document Withdrawal Agreement’ that grants them full access to the labour market (‘Arbeid vrij toegestaan’) i.e. to work under the same conditions as prior to Brexit.
British citizens can participate in a cultural project in the Netherlands as an artist or musician, as a structural companion of an artist or musician, as a visual artist, curator or restorer. They are allowed to work in the Netherlands for a short period of 6 consecutive weeks within a timeframe of 13 weeks without applying for a work permit in advance. If the British citizen is required for a longer period of up to three months, the inviting organisation will be obliged to apply for a work permit (or tewerkstellingsvergunning) from the UWV. For more information about working in the Netherlands as a non-EU citizen see our earlier entry: Working as an artist in the Netherlands.
If you plan to move to EU territory in 2021 for a period longer than 3 months, you will have to go through the immigration procedures of the country of your intended stay. You can no longer take up residence under the favourable terms of the Withdrawal Agreement. There are several immigration routes to settle in the Netherlands for all non-EU citizens: for example for the purpose of work, studying or join your partner. You can find more information about regulations regarding moving to the Netherlands for the purpose of work in our earlier entry: Working as an artist in the Netherlands; The UK Home Office has also published a page Living in the Netherlands that you might find useful.
The Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) is currently analysing the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to determine how it affects EU/Dutch citizens and holders of a residence permit who intend to temporarily stay, work or study in the UK from 1 January 2021.
Yes. Unlike VAT, laws on income tax are not harmonised within the EU but depend on bilateral tax agreements. Brexit has no influence on the bilateral tax treaty between the Netherlands and the UK. For more information on preventing double taxation in the international performing arts sector, see The Ultimate Cookbook for Cultural Managers: Artist Taxation in an International Context by PEARLE.
In this video, Laurens Meijer (DutchCulture) and Kilian Kayser (3voor12) explain what Brexit means for touring musicians.
On 18 February 2021 the Embassy of the Netherlands in London hosted a Brexit information and Q&A session for Dutch nationals living in the UK via Zoom (in Dutch). Click here to watch the video.
Working as an artist in the United Kingdom has not become easier since Brexit. Listen to our podcast to help you prepare. We talked to Kilian Kayser, percussionist in the Amsterdam-based band Personal Trainer performed several times in the UK and shares his experiences. (in Dutch)
Additional research and information are gathered and edited by Laurens Meijer of DutchCulture’s Mobility Info Point. The purpose of this text and FAQ is to present collected information on all relevant aspects of working across the UK-NL borders. Immigration laws are complex and details change frequently; and therefore we advise you to always consult the government websites linked in this article. Please be aware that although the information provided is gathered with utmost care, this article cannot serve as a legal basis for any type of action and no rights can be derived from it.
If you are a cultural professional who wants to go to the UK, feel free to contact our Focal Countries Desk. If you have more questions about mobility in general, including the UK, please contact DutchCulture’s Mobility Info Point via infopoint@dutchculture.nl.
For funding possibilities, check out our Cultural Mobility Funding Guide or the websites of our partners Creative Industries Fund NL, Dutch Film Fund, Dutch Foundation for Literature, EYE International, Het Nieuwe Instituut, Mondriaan Fund, Performing Arts Fund, and the Embassy of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in London.