Members of Dundee’s creative communities are holding a meeting tonight to discuss the potential effects of a new licensing law which they fear threatens the very existence of parts of the city’s highly diverse arts scene.
The law which has been branded a ”tax on creativity” comes into force on April 1 and means exhibitions or public shows put on by the city’s artists, gallery owners, musicians or publishers will have to be licensed, even if they are free.
The meeting organisers say that with the cost of a licence anything from £124 to £7,500, many free, DIY, ad-hoc shows and exhibitions will simply not take place.
The Scottish Government says it will be up to individual councils to decide how to implement the changes to the Public Entertainment Licence law. They will be debated at a meeting of the Dundee city licensing committee on March 29.
Dundee-based North East MSP Jenny Marra has taken up the artists’ case and has been in dialogue with the city council over the issue. She said she will be attending the meeting to outline her progress and take back any issues which arise on the night.
Meeting organiser Emma Alexander said: ”We heard about the national campaign and thought that would make the Government change its mind it’s got about 20,000 people behind it.
”But they’ve said individual councils have to decide, so we’re meeting to discuss our strategy to take our issues forward to the city council.”
The meeting is at the Tin Roof premises in Ure Street, Dundee, at 8.30pm. There are more details on Facebook.
Licensing committee convener Rod Wallace has stated that he is proposing a ”pragmatic approach” to the change in the rules.
He said: ”Before the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 was made law, events only needed a public entertainment licence if they charged the public to enter or take part and, even then only if the event was of a type listed by the council in a resolution.
”The new law has taken out the payment element opening up the potential for free events of the listed types to have to pay for a licence. However, for now I am proposing that if a group did not need a licence in the past they will not need one after April.”