Boycotts Lead SXSW to, Drop US Military Sponsors, for 2025 Festival.
On June 26, South by Southwest (SXSW) announced that the
United States Army would no longer be sponsoring the
2025 festival after boycotts by artists and panelists occurred in 2024.
On June 26, South by Southwest (SXSW) announced that the
United States Army would no longer be sponsoring the
2025 festival after boycotts by artists and panelists occurred in 2024.
After careful consideration,
we are revising our sponsorship
model. As a result, the U.S. Army,
and companies who engage in
weapons manufacturing, will
not be sponsors of SXSW 2025, SXSW statement, via Fox News.
Fox News reports that over 80 artists and panelists pulled
out of the 2024 festival "in solidarity with Palestine,"
according to the Austin for Palestine coalition.
Fox News reports that over 80 artists and panelists pulled
out of the 2024 festival "in solidarity with Palestine,"
according to the Austin for Palestine coalition.
The group called for a boycott of SXSW
over the organization's ties to the U.S. military
and weapons-manufacturing companies. .
In 2024, the U.S. Army, Defense Department, , Raytheon and L3Harris , all sponsored the SXSW festival.
In 2024, the U.S. Army, Defense Department, , Raytheon and L3Harris , all sponsored the SXSW festival.
We appreciated the opportunity
to join South by Southwest in 2024.
With U.S. Army Futures Command
headquartered in Austin, we value
any opportunity to join with our
community to ignite discovery
and make new connections. , Lt. Col. Jamie Dobson, U.S. Army Futures Command Spokesperson, via Fox News Digital.
The Army will continue to
seek opportunities to meet
technology innovators and
leaders, explore new ideas
and insights, and create dynamic
industry partnerships because
tomorrow is worth protecting. , Lt. Col. Jamie Dobson, U.S. Army Futures Command Spokesperson, via Fox News Digital.
Bands and artists participating in the boycott,
including Squirrel Flower, Scowl and Okay Shalom,
explained why they protested the 2024 festival. .
There are many ways SXSW is harmful
to working musicians, but I am pulling
out specifically because of the fact
that SXSW is platforming defense
contractors including Raytheon
subsidiaries as well as the U.S. Army,
a main sponsor of the festival, Squirrel Flower, also known as
Ella Williams, via Instagram.
Genocide profiteers like Raytheon
supply weapons to the IDF, paid for
by our taxes. A music festival should
not include war profiteers. I refuse
to be complicit in this and withdrawl
[sic] my art and labor in protest, Squirrel Flower, also known as
Ella Williams, via Instagram.
Genocide profiteers like Raytheon
supply weapons to the IDF, paid for
by our taxes. A music festival should
not include war profiteers. I refuse
to be complicit in this and withdrawl
[sic] my art and labor in protest, Squirrel Flower, also known as
Ella Williams, via Instagram
