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The joy of witnessing Kate Nash standing in her power <p>Kate Nash is in the most heroic form of her career right now. Between <a href="https://open.qobuz.com/track/335278296" rel="noreferrer">standing up for trans rights</a> and shouting about grassroots venues from the top deck of a bright red bus, she's become a proud spokesperson for the beleaguered artists holding up the music industry and not getting their fair payout while the suits in offices rake in their bonuses. I think it's punk as hell. If you know me, you'll know that's one of the highest compliments I can give. </p><p>Though she's made headlines in a louder, bolder way in the last couple of years by revealing she'd <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwygdzn4dw4o" rel="noreferrer">turned to OnlyF*ns to subsidise the losses</a> from her <em>9 Sad Symphonies </em>tour, using her platform is nothing new, speaking up has always been a part of her artistry. She's <a href="https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/music/musicnews/Kate+Nash-102914.html" rel="noreferrer">donated instruments to schools</a>, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-14501631" rel="noreferrer">assisted in the clean-ups after the 2011 riots</a>, campaigned for more <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/european-union-festival-lineups-keychange-initiative-kate-nash-eu-a9046531.html" rel="noreferrer">equal gender balances on festival bills</a> and even set about providing better <a href="https://americansongwriter.com/kate-nash-on-glow-cancelation-new-music-and-the-failure-of-the-music-industry-to-respond-to-metoo/" rel="noreferrer">sex education to the music industry through Keychain</a>. </p><p>Now, she's appeared as part of a parliamentary select committee for the <a href="https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9530/state-of-play-performing-arts-touring-in-the-eu/" rel="noreferrer">State Of Play inquiry</a> as part of a session examining performing arts touring in the EU, including the damage that Brexit has enacted on the bank balances of touring musicians. </p><figure class="kg-card kg-embed-card"><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HY3U9EMvTEY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen title="Kate Nash - Mighty Hoopla Documentary"></iframe></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-embed-card"><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ryH5cga0yUI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen title="Kate Nash - Foundations"></iframe></figure><p>I was there for the session, where Nash spoke alongside Naomi Pohl of the Musicians' Union (who previously appeared on <a href="https://www.drownedinsound.org/podcasts/" rel="noreferrer">our podcast</a>) and Hanna Madalska-Gayer, Head of Policy and Communications at Association of British Orchestras. </p><p>All three were commanding speakers, conveying the sobering reality of having to drown in paperwork just to get to play in Europe. Bound up in red tape and extra costs, touring in Europe has become significantly less financially viable, with Nash herself admitting she'd lost £26,000 in touring the continent, as well as £13,000 on her last UK tour. </p><p>Nash pointed out:</p><blockquote class="kg-blockquote-alt">"Historically we've been celebrated around the world for our contribution to music. We have fewer opportunities to tour and have opportunities to profit from tours in other countries, I think we're at risk of losing that reputation, that status, that sense of pride in our culture.</blockquote><blockquote class="kg-blockquote-alt">"It will have a knock on effect on the UK economy. The more we limit artists in this sense, the more that we limit UK culture on a global scale."</blockquote><h2 id="what-are-the-main-problems-artists-touring-the-eu-face">What are the main problems artists touring the EU face?</h2><ul><li><strong>Carnets -</strong> You may have heard artists bemoan the bureaucracy of carnets, a customs document that acts like a 'passport for goods' on which artists have to list all their equipment. These are costly, particularly with a security deposit amounting to 30-40 per cent of the value of the items. The introduction of digital carnets also means that if some equipment is broken, an artist has to re-pay for the carnet all over again</li><li><strong>Confusing paperwork</strong> - There is a lack of standardisation in terms of the paperwork required in each EU member state. and a lack of comprehensive information available about it. At worst, innocently missing some necessary paperwork can result in fines. </li><li><strong>The 90/180 day rule</strong> - Spending more than 90 out of every 180 days in the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/travel-to-eu-schengen-area" rel="noreferrer">Schengen area </a>is not allowed without a visa. This is particularly damaging for crew, who might be needed on multiple European tours in a year. In fact, according to Pohl, this rule meant Robbie Williams had to hire a second crew for his European tour and said crew were discouraged from taking holidays in the EU. </li><li><strong>Queues at passport control</strong> - Not only are delays at borders stressful and tiring, they potentially squeeze artists' travel and rehearsal time. At worst, they can mean a band misses a show and loses their fee for the night. It also increases costs by pushing artists to build in extra travel days into their schedule to insulate against lengthy delays. </li></ul><h2 id="how-bad-is-the-state-of-eu-touring">How bad is the state of EU touring?</h2><p>It's bleak. In the <a href="https://musiciansunion.org.uk/news/touring-in-the-eu-post-brexit-key-findings-and-next-steps-from-the-mu-s-recent-survey" rel="noreferrer">Musicians' Union's 2024 survey</a>, 75 per cent of respondents reported a decline in their income from touring Europe and 59 per cent said EU touring was not financially viable. </p><p>Nash also referenced this preventing artists from taking opportunities in the EU, meaning they lose out on opportunities to improve as performers and build their international fanbases. Red tape can affect a tour's entire budget and at worst can involve crew members losing jobs. Nash recalled hearing musicians ask, when looking at all these costs adding up, "What's the point?" </p><p>It also damages the viability of a musician's career full stop. Kate Nash outlined seeing artists selling instruments and possessions to try and stay afloat, as well as taking second jobs. Chances are, she's not the only artist on OF either. </p><p>"I don't think I would be able to have the career that I have if I was starting now," admitted Nash. Later, she asked: "Why is it worse now? It should be better," calling the situation "a massive letdown to this entire country." </p><h2 id="what-can-be-done-about-it">What can be done about it?</h2><ul><li><strong>Renegotiating carnet fees</strong> - The Government might be able to have some control over just how much carnets cost, and the suggestion was made during the meeting that to some extent, they are a money-making exercise</li><li><strong>Clearing the backlog of A1 forms with HMRC</strong> - these are forms confirming someone is still paying National Insurance while working abroad, and more resources are needed to reduce the logjam </li><li><strong>Introducing a touring visa for musicians </strong></li><li><strong>More information available about what paperwork is needed </strong></li></ul><p>"This is a problem that is worth solving," concluded Nash. "Take seriously the people who are making all the money," she added - addressing the industry at large - "if we can profit from our work, we can contribute more and the ecosystem can flourish." </p><h2 id="watch-a-30min-edit-of-kate-nashs-evidence-over-on-our-youtube">Watch A 30min Edit of <strong>Kate Nash's</strong> Evidence Over On <a href="https://youtube.com/@drownedinsound/" rel="noreferrer">Our YouTube</a></h2><figure class="kg-card kg-embed-card"><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3J-Fr9dNcxs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen title="Kate Nash vs Brexit: What Really Happened to British Musicians After 2020"></iframe></figure><p>I then caught up with the artist after the hearing, where I asked what her message to Live Nation, Spotify and major labels was after she called them out in her address.</p><p>"You better watch out because I am going direct to the government. A lot of artists have been banging their heads against the wall for a long time," she said. You are not necessarily gonna be included in the conversation at this point because you haven't shown any sort of support or that you're willing to do anything to benefit artists, yet you are profiting off of their work. I ain't giving up and I don't wanna talk to you [pointing at industry]. I wanna talk to them [pointing at Parliament]."</p><p>But what can fans do?</p><p>"I would stop buying crazy VIP packages to arena concerts because I think that's a scam and a waste of your money," Nash advised. "But fans are really supportive already. Staying informed, understanding, and being vocal about the fact that the music industry's a broken ecosystem - making the government realize how seriously people take music can be part of positive change."</p> https://www.drownedinsound.org/the-joy-of-witnessing-kate-nash-standing-in-her-power/