SXSW splits with the US army as long-time festival sponsor in solidarity with Palestine

As per reports by Fox News, South by Southwest (SXSW) announced on Wednesday that the US Army won’t be sponsoring its 2025 festival after a major artist and panelist boycott of the 2024 event. Over 80 artists and panelists ditched the March 2024 festival in Austin, Texas, "in solidarity with Palestine," according to the Austin for Palestine coalition.

In a statement on their website, SXSW said, "After careful consideration, we are revising our sponsorship model. As a result, the US Army, and companies who engage in weapons manufacturing, will not be sponsors of SXSW 2025."

Despite this, a US Army spokesperson told Fox News, "I don’t believe there is an intent to prohibit our participation, or other services, due to the decision regarding sponsorship. Army Futures Command has participated in some capacity every year since it stood up in Austin in 2018."

The Austin for Palestine coalition had called for a protest and boycott of SXSW in February over its ties to the US military and weapons manufacturing companies like Raytheon and BAE Systems, which they claim supply weapons to the Israeli military.

Lt. Col. Jamie Dobson of the US Army Futures Command said, "We appreciated the opportunity to join South by Southwest in 2024. With US Army Futures Command headquartered in Austin, we value any opportunity to join with our community to ignite discovery and make new connections. 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."

Texas Governor Greg Abbott was not pleased with the boycott. "Bands pull out of SXSW over US Army sponsorship. Bye. Don’t come back. Austin remains the HQ for the Army Futures Command. San Antonio is Military City USA. We are proud of the US military in Texas. If you don’t like it, don’t come here," Abbott wrote in March.

Bands like Squirrel Flower, Scowl, and Okay Shalom took to social media to explain their decision. Squirrel Flower, also known as Ella Williams, wrote on Instagram, "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 US Army, a main sponsor of the festival." She added, "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 withdraw my art and labour in protest."

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.