Open Letter to the Arts Council, England

fb_img_1489839696685We, the undersigned, a contingent of Scottish artists, wish to contest the findings of the Home Office and the Arts Council England. We understand that the visa application which would allow young actor, Tyler Collins to be given leave to remain in the United Kingdom as a “promising talent,” was rejected on the grounds that he has received insufficient media recognition.

The reason stated was: ““As eligible evidence is required from more than one country the applicant has not met the required criteria for the category of media recognition. Applicant has provided one piece of evidence under the category, “Proof of appearances”. The evidence provided is applicants Spotlight CV, which is not an acceptable example of proof of appearances””

This 27 year old actor, who has studied and lived in Scotland since the age of 18, has fast become an essential part of our creative community. Not only for his professional performances with the National Theatre of Scotland, Dundee Rep & STV. Also for his featured roles in BBC Scotland’s River City, Outlander, recent Irn-Bru adverts and as the renowned ‘Hen Broon’ in the national commercial tour of The Broons. Tyler says that “Scotland is my home,” but many in the Scottish creative sector describe Tyler as a peer, a friend, or a creative sounding board. His talents are many: beyond being a tremendous actor and mimic of the Scots, he is a fantastic musician and has collaborated on award-winning films; with Creative Scotland funding agreed for an upcoming project.

It remains unclear to us the barometer by which a talent is measured as deserving for the right to remain. We are not asking for Tyler Collins to be treated as a “special case” or to be placed with importance above any other. We simply state, that given the overwhelming endorsement from the creative community in which this young man has made his home; then surely it makes sense that he should be welcomed as the ‘promising talent’ that he so clearly is? We earnestly hope that this letter alleviates any concerns and may count as eligible and sufficient evidence as to Mr Collins standing. He is an active and essential artist who enhances our creativity.

Yours

Mark Thompson
Annie Griffin
Alasdair Gray
Gillies MacKinnon
Dawn Steele
Sean Biggerstaff
Brian Cox
Morven Christie
Peter Arnott
Peter MacDougall
Tom Urie
Ricky Ross
Tommy Gormley
Rachael Anne Keiler
Greg Hemphill
Donna Franceschild
Kieran Hurley
Colin McCredie
Andrea Gibb
Sam Heughan
Greg McHugh
May Miles Thomas
Christopher Brookmyre
Rachel McCormack
Jordan Young
Linda Thompson
Scott Fletcher
Kevin Guthrie
Ruth Connell
Calum Baird
Stephen Greenhorn
Grant O’Rourke
Frank Miller
Julie Duncanson
Daniel Portman
Natalie Clark
Stephen Purdon
Willy Wands
Dave Anderson
Joe McFadden
Gavin Mitchell
Iain Robertson
Jane McCarry
Brian Vernal
Eric Potts
Ian Pattison
Gerry Lynch
Kirstin Innes
Alan Bisset
Liz Curruthers
Morag Fullarton
Leah MacRae
Darren Connell
Storm-Skyler McLure
John Quinn
Steven Duffy
Kirsty Strain
Ryan Fletcher
Keith Fleming
George Docherty
Adam McNamara
Jamie Marie Leary
Matthew Scott
Emily Gray
Guy Vincent Cowan
Vivien Reid
John Steele
Garry Sweeney
Pearl Appleby
Andy Stewart
Sara Clark
Downie Christie
Russell Brown
Gary McNair
Alasdair Hunter
Ewan Somers
Helen Mackay
Sara Shaarawi
Scott Kyle
Orla O’Loughlin
Sarah Purser
Colin Little
Martha Brindley
Paul Kozinski
Henry Bell
Jasmine Main
Irina Gkinski
David Greig
Leo Condie
Laura Waddell
Alan McCredie
Kirsty Strickland
Scott Reid
Tommy Reily
Roddy Hart
Mick McNeil
Naysun Alae-Carew
John McPhail
Catriona Child
Bryan Tolland
Victoria Broxton
Claire Murray
Nicolas Crumb
Katie-Anne Jowet
Alan MacDonald
Jo Clifford
Robert Dawson Scott
Andrew Smillie
Philip Larkin
George Cameron
Harry Ward
Sally Reid
Ashley Storrie
David Frew
Keith Warwick
Jordan Blackwood
Rebecca Elise
James McKenzie
Kim Allan
Gabriel Quigley
Matt Regan
Chris Quick
Isabelle Joss
Ryan Burns
Adura Onashile
Helen Cuinn
Val McDermid
Andrew O’Donnell
Malcom Shields
Sanjeev Kohli
RM Hubert
Ewan Petrie
John Scougall
Charlotte McGuinness
Brenda Carson
Jools Walls
Karen Bartke
Tony McGeever
Joyce McMIllan
Sheila Grier
Billy Mack
Paul Brotherson
Isobel McArthur
Kenny Blythe
Karen Fishwick
Andrew Kaey
Anthony Strachan
Lu Kemp
Becky Minto
Meghan Rodgers
David Rankin
Alasdair Hankinson
Tam Dean Burn
Emma Schad
Louise McCarthy
Laurie Sansom
John Douglas
Eddi Reader
Sarah MacFarlane
Paul James Corrigan
Karen McIver
Ann Louise Ross
Sarah McCardie
Hazel Ann Crawford
Deirdre Davis
John Bett
Kirsty Miller
Paul Cunningham
Kirstin McLean
Neil Thomas
Melissa Deans
Ryan Hendrick
John Laurie
Katherine Howden
Lesley Hart
John Kazek
Kathleen Crawford Cree
Noreen Boyle
Angela Darcy
Julie McCardie
Mark Brown
Alex Norton
Lorraine McIntosh
Gary Hollywood
Kevin Lennon
Rob Drummond
John Michie
David Goodall
Simone Pereira Hind
Andrew Panton
Johnny McKnight
Emily Winter
Neve Mackintosh
Tom Nicoll
Helen Mallon
David Archibald
David Blair
Neil Cooper
Douglas McKinnon
Adam Robertson
Kiera Docherty
David Elliot
Janette Foggo
Eilidh McCormick
David Arthur
Alyson Orr
Ray Crofter
EmmaClaire Brightlyn
Colin Little
Tommy Ga-Ken Wan
Jim Sweeny
Kirsty Eila McIntyre
David Bratchpiece
Scott Johnson
Gillian Johnston
Morna Young
Suzannah Armitage
Nadine McBay
Hardeep Singh Kohli
Kerry Mullin
Lisa Nicoll
Craig Carter
Eve Nicol
Graham Huges
Pamela Strachan
Simon Fox
Cat Grozier
Robbie Allen
Gayanne Potter
Gary Lamont
Bill Paterson
Richard Rankin
Nathan Byrne
Ramisco Maki Maki
Joanne Thomson
Louise Stewart
David Kirkwood
Clare Gray
Barrie Hunter
Alison Peebles
Maryam Hamidi
Jenny Hulse
Therese Bradley
Lucy Goldie
Linda McLean
Lorna Gold
James Robinson
Julie Ellen
Gayle Teller Stevens
Jack Nurse
Chris Quick
Ken Alexander
Duncan Airlie James
Andrew O’Donnel
Alex Robertson
John Scougall
Martin Clark
Gavin Wright
Kevin Williamson
Ian Bustard
Cameron McGarva
Irvine Welsh
Karen Imbusch
Euan Bennet
Andrew Lanni
Kevin McKidd
Alisa Anderson
Martin McCardie
Mhari Robinson
Louise Ludgate
Alan McHugh
Dougray Scott
James Rottger
Michelle Gallagher
Graham Scott
Mark Westbrook
Sanjay Lago
Kate Dalzell
Sandy Nelson
Alistar Girvan
Colin Ross Smith
Morna Young
Laura Szaleckie
Keith McPherson
Anne Murphy
Danny Robertson
Chris Somerville
Belle Jones
Clair Ross
Stephen McCole
Cristin McKee
Kai Fischer
David Izatt
Katie Write
Ryan Clachrie
Malcolm Rumbles
Lauren Bianchi
Martin J Smith
John McFarlane
Nik Parker
Rosalyn Mary Barclay
Daniel Brown
Sean Wilkie
Ashlie Mearns
Graham Strachan
Freya Giles
Sarah Grant
Kirsty Findlay
Greg Stott
Kevin Walls
Cameron Fulton
Stewart Bowman
Lauren Lamarr
Iain Mulerrin
Myfanwy Morgan
Adam McIlwaine
Liam Harkins
Malcolm Cummings
Kevin Harman
Christopher Cook
Steven Cook
Mark Bonnar
Brian McCardie
Clare Gray
Magi Gibson
Ian MacPherson
Liz Lochhead
Rory Bremmner
Imogen Toner Grant
Lucy Hutchinson
Shaun Huges
David Carswell
Christine Williamson
Andrew John Tait
George Paterson
Jeremy Wyatt

Comments (25)

Leave a Reply to Hazel Stevenson Cancel reply

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  1. George Gunn says:

    This is terrible. Who’s next? I support this letter.

  2. Billy Mack says:

    Billy Mack

  3. Laura Szalecki says:

    Been hunting to find this petition. I’m with you Tyler. Laura Szalecki

  4. Andrew John Tait says:

    Andrew John Tait

  5. Yvonne Taylor says:

    In full support of this letter.

  6. David Leslie says:

    It’s bad enough that the Home Office makes these decisions, but what’s the Arts Council England got to do with it?

    1. peterarnott says:

      Having had experience of this before : Immigration as a reserved matter is uniform for the UK…and the UK Govt asks ACE to do these assessment…in practice they ask the “regions”…Yes, I know…just another piece of joined up government…

    2. Iain Robertson says:

      Hey David,

      There are heavy questions that hang around the fact that the Arts Council England are the first hurdle that Tyler has to surmount in his visa application – especially given that we have our own Arts body in Creative Scotland. But given that immigration remains a reserved issue, the Home Office work, in this instance, with ACE alone.

      We believe that ACE can reach out to Creative Scotland for their input, but so far as we are aware that has not happened in this instance.

      Given that over the past four years countless politicians have assured us that the UK is “one country”, I personally am at a loss as to why Tyler’s endorsement from the media & critical reviews in Scotland don’t seem to be enough to sway the Arts Council England.

      The system is clearly very flawed.

      Best, Iain

  7. marjory sutherland says:

    Scottish arts council needs to get on board to keep tyler in scotland. He is one of our up and comming actors. From Marjory Sutherland

  8. Hazel Stevenson says:

    I’ve seen Tyler in several theatrical performances and he was amazingly encouraging to my granddaughter who also performed in the panto with Tyler. I know he will be a wonderful ambassador and credit to our nation. I just don’t understand what on earth we are doing turning good people away from our shores. We need them to help us grow bigger and better
    Please reconsider.

  9. Christie Williamson says:

    Christie Williamson

  10. Sandy Nelson says:

    Add my name. Sandy Nelson

  11. Pauline Coogans says:

    Add my name!! Scotland needs Tyler.

  12. Jamie lee mcpherson says:

    I will sign my name! Bring him home

  13. Alison Metoudi says:

    Add my name:
    Alison Metoudi (Scottish, European, Artist).

    The Arts and Scotland need Scottish talent.
    No to Westminster imperialism.
    Sign up to #ScotRef -Twitter – for the chance to protect Scotland’s artistic future from UK political bigotry.

  14. Alfie wellcoat says:

    Alfie wellcoat

  15. Eleanor Ferguson says:

    We will have a way to get out of all this nonsense and we will have to be mad not to take it when we have the chance.

  16. Brendon McIlroy says:

    Please add my name Brendon McIlroy

  17. Sandy Thomson says:

    I was trying to find this to sign it. Please add my name. Sandy Thomson

  18. Gillis Mclean says:

    please add my name to this thank you.

  19. Julia Bauer says:

    Please add my name! Taylor is an amazing creative talent and has already contributed to the creative industries in Scotland in so many ways. Apart from that he is a generous human being who can share his way far beyond his craft – to lose people like him in Scotland is an incredible loss for the community.

  20. Scott Collins says:

    I’m with you 100% Tyler !

  21. Nicola Auld says:

    Please leave my name, Nicola Auld

  22. Michael Pedersen says:

    Michael Pedersen

  23. Paul J Harcus says:

    Paul J Harcus agrees and wishes to be considered as included as a further signatory.

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