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Showing posts from January, 2021

Not Your Usual Nativity!

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It might seem like a lifetime ago, but only one month ago, people celebrated a very different kind of Christmas. COVID-19 restrictions, put into effect by the UK government, allowed families a very limited amount of time to spend time together to enjoy the festivities with some semblance of normality. In the lead up to Christmas Day, it became abundantly clear for primary schools that the usual winter term traditions – namely, the much-anticipated Christmas nativity, performed by the schools' younger children - would not be able to go ahead as planned.  The scene is set - ready for filming to commence! This was certainly the case for Linby cum Papplewick Primary School, a village school in Nottingham, local to Artist Management Services. With staff already stretched with the additional workload of having to manage and maintain a safe learning environment for their pupils, the team started to think about ways they might be able to help. For parents, seeing their child perform in the

Glastonbury Canned: Is festival season now nothing more than a pipe dream?

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The world reacted with dismay, but with little surprise, at the news yesterday afternoon that the world-famous Glastonbury festival will be cancelled due to the impact of COVID-19. Festival organisers, Michael and Emily Eavis, made a statement confirming the news (below), making it the second year in a row that plans for the much-loved music and arts festival have been abandoned. Fans and musicians alike have expressed disappointment but understanding.  “In spite of our efforts to move Heaven & Earth, it has become clear that we simply will not be able to make the Festival happen this year,” the Eavises said. “We are so sorry to let you all down.” Organisers have guaranteed the chance to buy tickets for the event in 2022 to people successful in securing tickets for this year through a £50 deposit. The event was due to occur between the 23rd and 27th of June; rumours regarding the line-up were already doing the rounds on social media.  MP Julian Knight, who is chairing the DCMS comm

Brexit and touring in the EU: A Simple Explainer

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The government has come under criticism this week for reportedly rejecting a deal with the European Union which would have seen musicians permitted visa-free touring, potentially meaning a lot of additional expense and hassle for performers looking to take their work around the continent. Here's what we know so far.  • Free movement of people between the UK and EU ended on 1st January with Britain's withdrawal from the European Union officially coming into effect. Of course, travel is still possible, but not in the same fashion as was allowed previously. Musicians and their technical crews face new rules, additional costs and extensive paperwork, especially if moving between countries.  • It was initially reported by The Independent that Brussels was the culprit for the breakdown in negotiations for easy touring. However, since then, an 'EU source' has disputed this claim, arguing instead that the UK is responsible for the failure to reach an agreement, reportedly r