A Guide to the Global Talent Visa for Arts and Culture
For those in the arts and culture sector, the Global Talent visa is designed for individuals with exceptional talent or promise in areas such as dance, music, theatre and visual arts.
At the outset, it is important to note that Arts Council England does not endorse in certain areas; the list is a long one, but key professions or fields which are excluded are:
- Journalism
- Academic writing
- Sports writing
- Cookery writing
- Lifestyle writing
- Hair and fashion styling
- Commercial and live event photography
- Commercial illustration and design
- Radio DJs
- Digital content creators
- Art critics
Arts Council England (ACE) Endorsement for a Global Talent visa
ACE assesses visa applications from professional artists who work in the fields of combined arts, dance, literature, music, theatre and visual arts. Other artistic fields are assessed by the following specialist bodies on behalf of ACE:
- Producers’ Alliance for Film and Television (PACT) for film, TV, post-production and visual effects
- British Fashion Council for fashion designers
- Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) for architects
Arts Council England mandatory requirements for visa endorsement
- You must have been professionally engaged in producing work of outstanding quality in the last five years, that has been published (other than in newspapers or magazines), performed, presented, distributed or exhibited internationally; and
- You can show recent (within the last five years) and regular activity of being engaged professionally in your field; and
- You have a substantial professional track record and demand for your work in two or more countries if applying under exceptional talent criteria, or be at an early stage in your career (meaning at least the last 3 years) and have a developing professional track record and demand for your work in at least one country, if applying under exceptional promise criteria.
To support an application you must provide up to 3 letters of support from eminent referees, up to 10 pieces of evidence of your work and recognition, and an artistic CV.
Your CV does not have a size limit but we recommend condensing it as much as possible. Your additional evidence must each be no more than 2 pages of A4.
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What to include in a Referee Letter when applying for endorsement from Arts Council England
Referee letters are usually the most important part of your endorsement application. Referee letters should not exceed 3 pages, and must include a biography of the writer.
They must be dated, written specifically for your application, on full letterhead with contact details and information about the organisation including its website, signed by the author who should be a senior person in the organisation, and include full contact details.
Key points are as follows:
- You must not include multiple letters from the same organisation
- The first letter must be from a UK cultural organisation that is well-established nationally and/or internationally. The organisation should be recognised as having expertise in your field.
- The second letter must be from another cultural organisation well-established nationally or internationally, and may be UK or overseas-based.
- Your third letter can be from a cultural organisation (UK or overseas) or an eminent individual with recognised expertise in your area of practice.
Your referee must include and cover the following points:
- Details of a past or current working relationship in your specialist area of practice, between you and the organisation or eminent individual
- Detail your past achievements in your field and how, in the opinion of the author, you are either:
- a leader in your specialist area of practice (Exceptional Talent), or,
- that you have the potential to be a leader in your specialist area of practice (Exceptional Promise)
- Provide specific details about how you would benefit from living in the UK – for example what networks would you have access to in the UK that you would not have access to in your current country of residence
- Provide specific details about the contribution you could make to cultural life in the UK – what specific skills would you share with UK artists and practitioners, groups, networks, etc, how would the sector you work in benefit and would UK audiences benefit?
Where possible, provide details of any of your future professional artistic engagements or projects in the UK that the authors are aware of.
Supporting evidence for the Arts and Culture Global Talent visa
Media Recognition
The 10 items of supporting evidence may cover media recognition, awards received or proof of appearances in professional artistic programmes, or significant sales and distribution figures of your published or recorded work.
At least 2 examples of media recognition within the last 5 years are required to show the quality and significance of your work, or your significant contribution to a piece of work. The evidence must be in the form of detailed independent critiques, reviews or critical evaluations of your individual work, from credible arts and culture critics in internationally recognised and well-established media outlets, in at least two countries (one country for exceptional promise). This can include outlets such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio or websites.
Evidence from blogs or social media are not accepted. The pieces must be written by a named, credible critic for a recognised publication. If relying on your significant contribution you must provide a separate document from the main subject of the piece explaining how you contributed.
If any pieces of evidence are written in another language, they must include a full translation to English from a certified translator, showing the full name, contact details and signature of the translator and the company stamp or full company details. Web-based translations are not acceptable.
Webpages, such as a review, event listing, video or a radio show, must include a full printed copy or screenshot of the page and the full working URL Articles that are behind a paywall or require a subscription must be a full screenshot. Evidence cannot include physical objects such as DVDs, CDs, books or publications. Digital files, zip files or links to file sharing websites are not accepted.
Proof of Appearances
You must provide proof of professional appearances in at least 2 countries (one for exceptional promise) within the last 5 years. Evidence can include programmes, adverts, posters, or listings for past events you took part in. It can also include screenshots of videos, or photographs of past events you took part in.
Along with each piece of evidence like this, you must submit supporting information that verifies your participation and when and where the engagement took place. Videos or photographs alone are not acceptable.
As with media recognition, proof of a significant contribution to an event is also acceptable.
Secure a Global Talent Visa with Latitude Law
Securing a Global Talent visa with Latitude Law
Navigating the complexities of the Global Talent Visa for Arts and Culture can be challenging, but with the expert guidance of our team at Latitude Law, you can significantly improve your chances of success - we even support you if your visa has been rejected.
Whether you are an artist, performer, or cultural professional, we can be your trusted partner in securing a visa that allows you to thrive and contribute to the vibrant arts and culture scene.
