Friday, July 01, 2016
Brexit could hammer British culture: Here’s what it could mean for movies, music and visual art
Salon.com: Many in the United Kingdom are still scratching their heads over Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. Life will change in all kinds of ways there, especially for Europeans working in Britain and Northern Ireland. And many are made uncomfortable by the xenophobia that drove at least part of the vote, which could signal a once-cosmopolitan country turning in on itself. The very tone of life, the self-conception of the country, could change in unpleasant ways.
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Last week's news that the citizens of Britain had voted to leave the European Union shocked everyone both in the EU and across the world. The news also not only shocked those who had voted to stay in the EU, but also some of those who had voted to leave it. One news source even reported that some of the people who voted to leave "did not think their votes would matter". Clearly, irrational decision making has now led to a somewhat catastrophic event in Britain and the European Union's history. Right off the bat, this decision seems like one that could only end badly; as the article pointed out, even in the week or so that Brexit has been implemented, the value of the pound, along with the rest of Britain's expansive economy and financial/foreign relationships have all plummeted. The idea that this would affect so many of the arts we not only cherish but also take for granted is shocking. We now have to look forward to a future in which we do not see as many mainly British-made Oscar-winning films and television programs like The Kings Speech and Amy, but also to a future in which Britain's young and up-and-coming film and television makers who need to focus on more independent films do not have the chance to do so.
While I personally believe that Britain was justified in their EU exit, this is one area where even in the long-term Britain will suffer. Article 45 of the Treaty on the Functioning of EU guarantees free movement of workers between member countries. If citizens of other EU member countries cannot look for a job in another EU country, work there without needing a work permit, reside there for that purpose, stay there even after employment has finished, and enjoy equal treatment with nationals in access to employment, working conditions and all other social and tax advantages then the labor pool in all fields especially theater and film will be more restricted. While the economy will recover, and the EU will be forced to reform, the actors and tech persons of the EU will all suffer for this decision.
As someone whose parents have been talking a lot about the financial implications of the Brexit, it hadn’t even occurred to me to think about what the other implications outside of stock prices and the pound could be. The entertainment industry is such a unique place as it requires collaboration from all kinds of people from all over the world to create the art that everyone enjoys, and this kind of barrier on the communication and collaboration has the potential to cause immense change in the lives of people working in it. As a person who has many friends from all over the world who are hoping to make it in the entertainment industry, whether that be actors looking to land jobs in films or cinematographer or of course technicians and designers, I can’t begin to imagine how much harder it will be for them to work around this decision. I hope that the decision won’t hurt the industry too hard and that we will be able to witness a community that can overcome these odds, but we will have to wait and see.
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