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Celebrating 30 years if intercultural understanding through the arts

INFO & RESOURCES
Here you will find guidance and help sheets if you are planning to present arts and artists from overseas in the UK for the first time. You will also find these help sheets useful if you are an overseas artists and have never presented work in the UK. Please note, you will need Adobe® Reader® to access these documents.

Personal, medical and travel insurance are important aspects that visiting artists should consider and arrange before arriving in the UK. If the artist or group is transporting props/sets/costumes etc., these items should also be insured. The producer should also ensure that all artists are covered by the insurance of the venue in which they will be performing (e.g. liability insurance in a theatre). Some forms of insurance are compulsory for employers.

For UK venues

• Public Liability – Protects employers against liability for public death, injury or damage to property within the public workspace (i.e. in a theatre/concert venue).

• Health & Safety at Work – See Health & Safety Regulation: A Short Guide at

http://hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsc13.pdf  

• Buildings and Contents – Assess the total value of props/set/instruments that will be used in advance, and ensure works are covered by your organisation’s policy. Check whether the artist is arranging personal insurance cover for their props/set/instruments.

• Theft and Damage – Check if this is included in your contents insurance.

• Goods in Transit – To insure the movement of props, sets, costumes, equipment, instruments and other goods between venues. This is organised by or between the promoter/host venue and the performer(s), depending on who is responsible for transporting the goods to the UK. If the artist transports goods personally, they should ensure that the goods are covered against damage. Shipping companies generally have company insurance to cover goods handled by them – check this with them.

For artists

• Medical Insurance – EU enlagement and overseas visitors (not ordinarily resident in the UK) must pay for NHS hospital treatment except:
  • people who come to the UK for employment;
  • EEA nationals;
  • nationals of countries with which the UK has reciprocal agreements 

See details on the Overseas Visitors section of the Department of Health’s (DoH) website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/International/OverseasVisitors/fs/en. The DoH publishes a leaflet outlining all exemptions from NHS charges at:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/
PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_064150 Qkr.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) provides advice on personal medical and
health insurance at the Information Zone on its website www.abi.org.uk.

• Travel insurance – see ABI at www.abi.org.uk

European Travel Insurance Group www.eti-group.biz

Insurance Information Institute at www.iii.org

• Public Liability – It is important to consider this, especially if participating in workshops, residencies, performances and other events that involve working with the public in a venue or gallery. (This may already be provided by the venue).

• Goods in Transit – As before

See The British Insurance Brokers’ Association www.biba.org.uk to search for UK brokers who deal with cover for works of art. The Insurance Information Institute at www.iii.org also has a search function to locate overseas insurers.

Useful Organisations

The Association of British Insurers: www.abi.org.uk
Tel:  020 7600 3333
Email:  info@abi.org.uk
The website has extensive information on all forms of insurance. It also contains information sheets on all types of insurance for consumers and small businesses.

The Insurance Information Institute: www.iii.org
Email:  info@iii.org
This website includes a directory of international insurance associations.

Health & Safety Executive: www.hse.gov.uk
Tel:     H & S Infoline:  0845 345 0055
Email: hse.inforline@natbrit.com
Details of compulsory regulations for employers and useful information sheets

Department of Health Customer Service Centre: www.dh.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7210 4850
Lines are open from 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday
Email: dhmail@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Arts Council England Information Sheets: www.artscouncil.org.uk/publications/
Or
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/documents/information/Insurance_php6Lpw5a.doc
Tel:     0845 300 6200
Email:  enquiries@artscouncil.org.uk

This website provides a useful source of general information, including a range of advice on insurance for arts organisations and artists produced by the regional offices of Arts Council England.

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Contents

Introduction

Work permits

Contracts and employment - the legal aspects

Artist’s contracts and written agreements

Visas; entry clearance; leave to enter

Police registration; CRB checks

Tax     

Insurance and medical services

Fees for artists and performers

Transporting equipment and ATA carnets

Passenger airport security in the UK

Final checklist

Glossary – list of forms

National Campaign for the Arts briefing paper: Changes to immigration policy and pricing - June 2008

INFO & RESOURCES

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