More than a quarter of UK musicians lost all EU work since 2021, report finds

Average tour earnings down 45%, with nearly three-fifths of musicians saying touring in Europe is no longer viable More than a quarter of British musicians have lost all their work in the European Union since 2021, according to new research. The report by European Movement UK, a cross-party campaign group advocating closer UK-EU relations, found that nearly half of British musicians had experienced a reduced amount of work in the EU since 2021, while more than a quarter had stopped working there altogether. Average tour earnings had fallen by 45%, with 59% of musicians saying touring in Europe was no longer viable. Tom Kiehl, the chief executive of UK Music, said the findings reflected a wider crisis across the creative economy, despite commitments to support exchanges. “This research covers the experiences of our £8bn music sector and the 220,000 jobs it supports, but the issues highlighted – notably on mobility and on obstacles to British and EU professionals working in each other’s jurisdictions – are highly relevant also to other creative industries, including film, TV and video,” he said. Under the UK-EU “common understanding” agreed in 2025, both sides committed to supporting