Barclays has suspended its sponsorship of Live Nation's UK festivals after protests by artists over the bank's links to defense companies that supply weapons to Israel as well as fossil fuel companies.
Country singer CMAT, folk band Lankum and rock bands Pest Control, Zulu, Scowl, Speed and Ithaca are among the acts that have either pulled out or threatened to boycott Live Nation-promoted summer events such as the Latitude festival of July and the three-day Download festival, which starts on Friday (June 14) in Donington Park, Leicestershire.
In a statement on Friday, a spokesperson for Live Nation UK said: “Following discussion with artists, we have agreed with Barclays that they will withdraw from sponsoring our festivals.”
Confirming the news, a Barclays spokesperson said Advertising sign that the London-based bank “has been asked and has agreed to suspend participation in the remaining Live Nation festivals in 2024.”
“Barclays customers who have tickets for these festivals are not affected and their tickets remain valid,” the spokesperson continued. “The protesters' agenda is for Barclays to divest from defense companies, which is an area we remain committed to as an essential part of keeping this country and our allies safe.”
Referring to recent incidents of vandalism at various UK Barclays bank branches, where protesters threw paint and smashed windows, the spokesman said “the only thing this small group of activists will achieve is to weaken the essential support for cultural events that enjoyed by millions. It is time for leaders from politics, business, academia and the arts to stand united against this.”
Barclays is one of the UK's biggest music festival sponsors and signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Live Nation last year. Over the past two decades, the company says it has invested £112 million ($142 million) in supporting British music and the country's arts sector.
Pressure from pro-Palestinian groups on music festivals and arts organizations to sever ties with sponsors perceived to be linked to Israel has increased since the start of the Gaza conflict. Last month, more than 150 artists pulled out of Brighton's Great Escape Festival over the independent event's links to Barclays.
Defending its position, Barclays has previously said it provides “vital financial services to US, UK and European public companies that supply defense products to NATO and its allies”, but does not directly invest in those companies.
News that the international bank, which has also come under fire from environmental campaigners for funding fossil fuel companies, has pulled out of sponsoring Live Nation's UK festivals was welcomed by the Bands Boycott Barclays campaign group.
“As musicians, we are appalled that our music festivals have partnered with Barclays, who are complicit in the genocide in Gaza through investment, loans and underwriting of arms companies that supply the Israeli military,” the campaign group posted on Instagram.
“Hundreds of artists took action this summer to make it clear that this is morally reprehensible, and we're glad to hear,” the group added.
Post to XRage Against The Machine's Tom Morello, who is set to play Download this weekend, said “the fact that the festival listened to its musicians and cut ties with Barclays Bank is a testament to the power of artists taking on collective action for human rights.”
“I've pushed hard for this behind the scenes,” Morello added, “and I salute all the artists like Zulu, Scowl and Speed who stepped up to help make this historic retirement happen.”
