SIR Ian McKellen, Sir Patrick Stewart and Dame Julie Walters have joined some of the biggest names in British theatre to urge Boris Johnson to secure visa-free EU travel for artists.

In a letter from the Equity union, the new rules are described as a “towering hurdle” for the industry.

“Before, we were able to travel to Europe visa-free. Now we have to pay hundreds of pounds, fill in form after form and spend weeks waiting for approval – just so we can do our jobs,” the letter states.

Those in the performing arts have already lost work, according to the letter.

More than 280,000 people have signed a petition calling for a cultural work permit deal to be reached between the Government and EU.

READ MORE: 300k sign petition urging Tories to U-turn on Brexit chaos for live music

The statement, signed by more than 100 Equity members including Miriam Margolyes, Anne-Marie Duff and Celia Imrie, was first published in the Guardian newspaper.

It adds: “For a sector that is deeply embedded in the international community – from touring theatre and dance to film, television and commercials – which must work fast, flexibly and to demand, this is a disastrous blow and will hit those already struggling and marginalised groups the hardest.”

Government financial support has proven inadequate for many performing arts workers, according to the letter.

The letter adds: “Prime Minister, we urge you to negotiate new terms with the EU, allowing creative practitioners to travel to the EU visa-free for work, and for our European counterparts to be able to do the same in the UK.

“Not acting now will do further and irreparable harm to the UK’s creative workforce, our industries and to our standing on the international cultural stage.”

Alongside the list of signatories, members of the trade union for creative practitioners have been emailing their MPs​ to lobby on the issue.

Equity general secretary Paul W Fleming said: “Art and entertainment are a British success story. Worth more to our economy than banking, government intransigence threatens a cornerstone of our international soft power and a key export.

“More than that, the language of art and entertainment knows no boundaries; freedom of movement for our members as artists and working people is achievable, desirable and essential.”

READ MORE: 'Spineless' Tories blame Brussels as they're warned of musician exodus

This is not the first time prominent figures from the arts world have criticised the Government’s Brexit deal.

In January more than 100 musicians, from pop singers to classical composers, signed a letter saying performers had been “shamefully failed” by the post-Brexit travel rules.The letter, backed by Ed Sheeran and Sting, said there is a “gaping hole where the promised free movement for musicians should be”.

Scottish trad singer, Iona Fyfe, told BBC Radio Scotland: "The petition is to put pressure on the Government to do a U-turn and effectively get a deal for musicians. I think that when the Brexit deal came out musicians and sportsmen were just not catered for at all.

"There has been a bit of back and forth in who is to blame for this breakdown in communication with Michael Barnier saying that the British Government had rejected a clear offer from Brussells to carve out a deal for performers and then the UK Government saying it was Brusells making it difficult to come to an agreement. Meanwhile, there's a surge of musicians in the UK thinking about leaving the industry which contributes 5.8 billion to the economy. It just seems like the UK have missed the point on this. 

She went on: "It's the sharing of tradition and culture. Being able to tour abroad really helped me cut my teeth as a folk musician. Going to other countries and being able to learn from other traditions and sing with other people and have an understanding of people's different heritages. That's really important."

Fyfe described Brexit customs issues as "a nightmare", adding: "It's going to make it financially unfeasable for grassroots musicians as well as your big acts to tour."

Boyzone star Ronan Keating said the current situation is “ridiculous”.

He told BBC Breakfast: “We’re talking about grassroots, upcoming artists… “It’s not so much about larger artists who already have back catalogues and careers.

“There’s no money in record sales, the way that they (bands) make money is actually touring.

“So, to slap this on them, it’s just going to be devastating for the live industry… We won’t be able to go touring.”

He added: “The arts have been hit suddenly, massively over the last 12 months… “My band, my crew, they haven’t had any support whatsoever, so they’ve been really struggling.

“So, to get back to work and the live performances are incredibly important.”

Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood told Sky News: “For bands like us, we’re fortunate, we have accounting, legal services to cover the new red tape…

“But what about bands that are coming up, to be future Radioheads… over the next decade? That’s the big worry.”

He added: “We’ve got an opportunity right now (while the pandemic has stopped touring) to put things in place to help artists.”

In a statement to the Guardian, a UK Government spokesperson said: “We want our cultural and creative professionals to be able to work easily across Europe, in the same way EU creatives are able to work flexibly in the UK.

“Though the EU rejected proposals that would have allowed this, we hope member states will act on these calls by changing the rules they apply to UK creatives. We’re working urgently with our cultural sectors to resolve any new barriers they face, so that touring can resume as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Last month, the SNP said the UK Government had treated performers “like pawns on a chessboard” during Brexit negotiations.

READ MORE: UK's musicians treated like 'pawns on a chessboard' in Brexit talks, SNP say

SNP MP and former musician Pete Wishart said:“We now know that, despite the EU side offering, the UK Government rejected proposals that would have allowed musicians and performers to travel across the EU without visas.

“I’m calling on Oliver Dowden to work with his colleagues in the UK Government and U-turn on this ludicrous decision – one which will not only leave creatives in the UK drowning in red tape, but will also shut the door on those European creatives who enrich the cultural tapestry of these islands.

“Scotland did not vote for this isolationist approach to policy-making. While the Tories at Westminster treat our creative sector like pawns on a chessboard, Scotland wants to open its arms and welcome our European friends and neighbours.

“The UK Government has had time to reconsider this decision; to help performers and musicians, but they have done nothing of the sort. It’s time for an urgent rethink before these opportunities are lost.”

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden defended the UK Government’s approach, saying: “We sought a mutually beneficial agreement that would have allowed performers to continue working and perform across the continent without the need for work permits.

"Musicians, artists, entertainers and support staff would have been captured through the list of permitted activities for short-term business visitors. This was a straightforward solution for our creative industries which would have benefited all sides.

“But the EU turned it down, repeatedly. It did not propose and wouldn’t accept a tailored deal for musicians and artists. I’m afraid it was the EU letting down music on both sides of the Channel – not us.”