Tracey Emin may abandon the UK for France in protest at the 50% tax rate and the government's attitude to the arts

ArtSelector's picture
David Symons's picture

Artists leaving the UK

It is a sad day when an artist leaves their country, forever to live somewhere else. Attitudes from Government and the people can only be changed from the inside, running away solves nothing.

It is a disgrace for any artist living in UK in terms of tax incentives, funding, respect etc...London was a great hub for the arts for one man and his entourage.

Wonder how many tax exiles there are out there? Surely it would be more beneficial to have sensible tax rates for everyone so that the poor dont get totally ripped off and the rich simply leave....?

Are you on the bus or off the bus?

Valery Koroshilov's picture

Leaving the country because of Tax

I would understand and sympathize with artists forced to leave their country for political reasons. But moving out to save money means only greed. I would like to hope that a true artist may be driven by anything but the desire to be wealthier.

Donald S. Hammett's picture

Re: Leaving the country because of Tax

I am in complete agreeance with you, is it not so that the great artists are the ones who have been living in trying times and hardships. Without great suffering there can be no growth. I am not saying everyone needs to suffer but as far as when people suffer they see things around them so differently and are more thankful for what they have. It is this way in the artist's perspectives too. This lady is leaving because of taxes but even she stayed I doubt she would really be suffering. I feel a great strife from how this action will affect her artwork and how it is seen by the public.

alexart63's picture

Re: Tracey Emin may abandon the UK for France in protest at ...

I'm surprised as I thought she was a bit more grounded than this, but her celebrity has made vulgar pronouncements like this normal i suppose. Unfortunately, sometimes poor people who have become rich beyond their wildest dreams end up more obnoxious than the aristocrats they have replaced in our society. I think this may be the case here - considering how much Tracy has relied on the NHS in the past (and how much profit she's made from documenting her experiences of it) it's ironic she now begrudges paying towards services that vulnerable people rely on for a dignified life. But ultimately, I don't really care where she lives.

Alexander Johnson