Peter Lord, Co-Founder of Aardman and president of the European Animation Awards (EAA) comments on BREXIT

The news this morning of the British decision to leave the European Community has come to me personally as a great shock. It’s a momentous decision, made I fear, in haste and for all the wrong reasons.
But as President of the EAA, I’d just like to record that all of us on the Board remain entirely committed to the inclusive, open and cooperative ideals that brought about this project in the first place.
We know that of all art-forms, animation had the greatest power to share ideas, philosophies and stories across barriers of nation and language. We believe in cooperation and communication, and we feel a passionate desire to bring communities together, rather than encourage them to fragment. We feel that isolationism helps nobody, and that individuals must firmly follow their beliefs in spite of the I’ll-conceived gesturing of politicians.
All of which high-flown language really means that our Europe-wide community of artists and creators is just as strong today as it was yesterday and just as determined to celebrate together the art- form that we love.
Though I can’t help but be disappointed by the decision my compatriots took, I shall of course continue to feel as proudly European as ever, and to promote the open, inclusive spirit of the EAA.

Peter Lord, President EAA