The European Movement in Scotland (EMiS) has secured top level speakers from the Scottish hospitality, tourism and culture sectors for its upcoming “Understanding Brexit” workshop in Glasgow on 21st October.
Hospitality and culture are cornerstones of the Scottish economy. Tourism and the creative industries alone are estimated to be worth over £10 billion annually to the Scottish economy. Tourism supports over 200,000 jobs and 14,000 businesses. The creative industries employ some 60,000 people, ranging from the country’s great orchestras to many thousands of small companies in music, visual arts, product design, digital products and technical support in film, TV, theatre, concert venues, sports events, exhibitions and conferences.
Leaving the EU has made life more complex, expensive and challenging for businesses, cultural organisations and individuals, with one in four singers unable to work in Europe post-Brexit. The aim of the event sponsored by EMiS, Scotland’s leading pro-European campaigning group, is to provide a platform for these sectors to say what they want from governments (particularly Westminster) in areas like EU work permits, employing EU citizens, freedom of movement for Scottish performers, producers and technicians and the Brexit bureaucracy faced by travelers.
The first four speakers announced are Baillie Annette Christie, Chair Glasgow Life and City Convener for Culture, Leon Thompson, Executive Director, Scotland, Hospitality UK, Marc Crothall , Chief Executive, Scottish Tourism Alliance and Katrina Brown, a director of The Common Guild, a Glasgow-based visual arts organisation Others will be announced shortly.
With a general election imminent and growing appreciation that the UK needs to reset relations with the EU, EMiS wants to contribute to creating greater public awareness of the issues facing the Scottish tourism, hospitality and culture sectors. The aim is spur policy makers in London, Brussels and Edinburgh into urgent action.
The workshop is on Saturday 21st October. It is a free, ticket-only, event. Tickets can be booked on Eventbrite.
David Clarke, chair of EMiS, said:
“This is not about crude “Brexit bashing” but a grown-up analysis and debate around the issues any new UK government must address to help restore these sectors to health, profitability and global competitiveness.”
