Artist Mark Wallinger, scientist Professor Brian Cox, architect David Chipperfield and European counterparts back British Council-facilitated recommendations :
- Culture and education permit recommended for easy cross-border collaboration post-Brexit and push for more international experiences for young people;
- Key leaders in education, science and research, arts and culture support continued UK participation in multi-lateral programmes such as Erasmus+, Horizon 2020, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions and Creative Europe.
ARTIST Mark Wallinger and scientist Professor Brian Cox are among UK supporters of a cross-European set of recommendations delivered to Brexit negotiators in the UK and EU that aim to secure the futures of innovation, research and the arts.
The recommendations have already been discussed by the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education and come from a consultation of more than 500 leaders in education, science and research, arts and culture from across Europe, facilitated by the British Council.
Notable endorsers also include:
The head of the Creative Industries Federation John Kampfner, geologist and presenter Iain Stewart, the next president of Universities UK Professor Janet Beer, the European Cultural Foundation, Culture Action Europe, the V&A, British Museum, Tate, the Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels (BOZAR) and university representatives including Siena, Sorbonne, Oxford, Bristol, and Liverpool.
The document has so far received 400 official endorsements from people in 28 European countries.
The recommendations include:
- Ensuring those in the education, culture and science sectors and young people involved in exchanges remain able to move easily between the UK and other EU countries, possibly in the form of a simple, cheap and easy to obtain ‘culture and education permit’;
- Guaranteeing residency rights for EU nationals currently living and working in the UK and vice-versa;
- Continued UK participation in and contribution to multilateral programmes such as Erasmus+, Horizon 2020, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions and Creative Europe;
- Engaging young people in future policy-making and offering every young person in the UK and other European countries the opportunity of an inter-cultural and international experience, through areas such as study, work, performance, research, language learning or exchanges.
British Council chief executive, Sir Ciarán Devane, said: “There is strong will across Europe for continued close collaboration in arts and culture, science and research, skills and education to the mutual benefit of all countries involved.
“As individuals we all invest in our friendships, so we must invest in our European friendships. We cannot take them for granted. These recommendations shore up the fields that will underpin our current societies and future relationships with the continent and may ease fractious relationships as the politics of Brexit proceed.
“By accepting these recommendations the UK and EU27 can prove they value good relationships and strengthened cultural ties with neighbouring countries.”
The recommendations come from the British Council convening members of governments, museum directors, university vice chancellors, and key figures from research bodies, unions, federations and institutions across the science, education, culture and arts sectors.