Speaking at the inaugural event of the Cultural Exchange Coalition (CEC) in Brussels, UK culture minister Ian Murray said there was “a full commitment” to tearing down barriers for artists touring the UK and EU.
Launched in December 2025, the CEC is a coalition of people and organisations across the UK and EU to support and promote the shared benefits of cross-border cultural and creative collaboration. Dame Evelyn Glennie, Jools Holland, Belgian conductor Dirk Brossé, and Level 42 bassist Mark King are among the plethora of artists and public figures backing the organisation.
At the CEC inaugural event, Murray warned that without action on touring, it would not be possible for the artists of the future to follow in the footsteps of global UK stars like Adele and Dua Lipa.
Murray also discussed the global issue of cultural exchange and emphasised UK government’s commitment to making touring the UK and the EU a “seamless” process for both UK-based and EU-based artists.
“This is not just a UK issue, this is a European-wide issue,” said Murray. “There’s very much a will to try and find a way through this - and to do it as quickly as we possibly can.”
“We know how difficult it is in terms of touring and how difficult it is in terms of costs, and the additional costs have become prohibitive.
There’s a full commitment from our side in terms of the UK government to fulfil the commitment in the EU and UK Summit to fulfil the aspirations of the Cultural Compass and to make sure we can have all our artists - whether it be UK artists in Europe or European artists in the UK - as seamless as possible.
“Cultural exchange is hugely important not only for us to tell our own stories but also to tell each other’s stories, to learn from each other. If we lose that, we’ll be much diminished, particularly with the geopolitical situation at the moment. “