Protest grows over restrictions on foreign artists
Visa restrictions especially "detrimental to artists from developing countries"

Back in January RSA Arts & Ecology reported on the forthcoming opening of an exhibition at the October Gallery by the Chinese artist Huang Xu. The gallery had invited Huang Xu to attend the event on February 12, however the artist was refused a visa to enter the country. 

According to a campaign run by The Manifesto Club, the UK arts community is increasingly concerned that tough restrictions mean that artists find it difficult to enter the country - and that the free exchange of artistic ideas is being restricted. Individuals must show they have at least £800 in savings held for three months before a visa application; they must also be in possession of a certified biometric card, which can prove costly, especially for artists from developing nations. Organisiations wanting to invite artists to come to the UK can also have to pay in order to become a "sponsor" for visiting artists. A small organisation has to pay a fee of £400; larger groups must pay £1,000.

Arts organisations and promoters also say more visas are being turned down for bureaucratic reasons. In January the Russian artist and academic Dmitry Vilensky was unable to attend a seminar about his work at The Showroom Gallery and Afterall Journal in London. Vilensky was refused entry, on the grounds he was going to be paid a fee for attendance. Though the fee was withdrawn, an appeal failed.

The campaign to reconsider visa restrictions for visiting artists was started by Manick Govinda of the arts organisation Artsadmin, who says that artists are finding it difficult to comply with bureaucratic and expensive visa proceedures.

Last month, 52 leading figures in the arts including Antony Gormley, Young Vic director David Lan, Nicholas Hytner of the National Theatre and artist Jermey Deller signed a public letter to The Observer claiming:

We believe that these restrictions discriminate against our overseas colleagues on the grounds of their nationality and financial resources and will be particularly detrimental to artists from developing countries and those with low income. Such restrictions will damage the vital contribution made by global artists and scholars to cultural, intellectual and civic life in the UK. 

Govinda simultaneousy launched an online petition stating:

We, the undersigned, believe that these Home Office restrictions discriminate against our overseas colleagues on the grounds of their nationality and financial resources, and will be particularly detrimental to artists from developing countries, and those with low income. Such restrictions will damage the vital contribution made by global artists and scholars to cultural, intellectual and civic life in the UK. 

For artists living in countries without British consulates, the expense of applying for a visa and isometric card in a separate country can be crippling. All 12 members of West African jazz band Les Amazones de Guinée had to travel recently from Guinea to Sierra Leone to apply for papers to come to London to play at Africa Day in Trafalgar Square; they paid £3,500 for the round journey only to have their visas denied. Robert Urbanus of Stern Records told the Independent: "Before, you could send one person with all 12 passports. Now with the biometric nonsense, everyone had to go there."

Add your name to the petition here.