SXSW says it will no longer be sponsored by the US military and arms manufacturers, following a boycott of this year's festival. SXSW wrote on its website, “After careful consideration, we are revising our sponsorship model. As a result, the US military and arms manufacturing companies will not be sponsoring SXSW 2025.”
The most successful boycott began in March, when several artists walked out of the festival. Squirrel Flower wrote on social media that the move was made “in protest of SXSW's ties to the defense industry and in support of the Palestinian people,” noting that at least one defense contractor appearing at the festival was arming the Israel Defense Forces. Mamalarky, Shalom and the Irish rap trio Kneecap followed with similar statements. When Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, punished the protesters, SXSW detached herself from his comments and said that she respects the artists' decisions.
They followed successful boycotts in the UK, where more than 100 artists walked out of the Great Escape festival – a UK equivalent of SXSW – citing its sponsorship by Barclays bank. Starting with Bristol band The Menstrual Cramps, the boycott took place in the Idles and Brian Eno, among others, because of Barclays' investments in arms companies. Boycotts of Latitude and Download festivals followed, before Barclays suspended its sponsorship of all Live Nation festivals in the UK.
The bank wrote in a statement this month, “The protesters' agenda is for Barclays to divest from defense companies which is an area in which we remain committed as an essential part of keeping this country and our allies safe.” Protest group Bands Boycott Barclays responded: “Hundreds of artists have taken action this summer to make it clear that this is morally reprehensible and we're glad to hear.”
