Two foreign artists due to take up residency at a Moray distillery have been forced to submit their work from home after they were refused visas, it has emerged.
American painter M.P. Landis and artist Anriban Mitra, from India, have been unable to take up their temporary posts at Glenfiddich Distillery, Dufftown, alongside six other crafts workers.
Earlier this month, the UK Border Agency refused entry visas for a Pakistani business delegation and pipe band to compete in the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow.
Glenfiddich runs an artists-in-residence programme each summer.
The visitors live in renovated distillery cottages for three months and produce individual works of art.
Curator Andy Fairgrieve said new immigration laws had put a spanner in the artists-in-residence works, however.
Mr Landis was turned away by officials when he arrived at Heathrow with his partner and four-month-old baby, and Mr Mitra had his visa application refused.
The curator said both men had now sent work over and that Mr Mitra has reapplied for a visa, but admitted it was far from ideal.
Mr Fairgrieve said a drystane dyke and style had been built in the gallery to express feelings about their absence.
He said: “The style is there, dividing the gallery in half so people have to climb over it to overcome an obstacle to see the work of the artists who were unable to come.
“People have had no hesitation in using it as it’s meant to be.
“It works on a few different levels and certainly pulls together the idea of artists’ dedication to one craft which is the ethos of these residencies.”
Mr Fairgrieve said he had heard “horror stories” from a number of artists and musicians who had suffered similar issues under the new immigration laws.
He believes the situation could ease off after a “bedding-in period”, as applicants and officials get used to the legislation.
“Certainly as an organisation we’re looking at what we can do to try to mitigate some of these issues for next year,” he said.
“We need to do some work to make sure we’re in a proper position to comply with the legislation.”
Last night, a spokeswoman for the UK Border Agency said it was “committed to facilitating cultural and arts exchanges” and to helping organisers ensure their participants were clear about the requirements.
“If applications do not contain the necessary evidence and we are not satisfied individuals will return at the end of their visit, their visas will be refused.
“Individuals whose applications are refused are welcome to apply again at any time and any new evidence will be considered,” she said.
The current exhibition, which opened at the weekend, will be open until September 20. For more information see www.glen fiddich.co.uk