SXSW has announced that it will be revising its sponsorship model for its forthcoming events in 2025 and will not be sponsored by the US Army and defence contractor RTX Corporation, according to a statement published on its website. The festival had listed the US Army as a “super sponsor,” as well as Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of weapons manufacturer RTX Corporation. Following this decision, the US Army and companies who engage in weapons manufacturing, will not sponsor SXSW 2025.
The decision comes after over 80 artists withdrew from the festival earlier this year because of its ties to the defence industry and its sponsorship from the US Army and weapons manufacturers. The withdrawal was said to be based on the allegations of the musical artists that the festival and the companies were profiting from war and that art has no place alongside warmongers.
The protests began with Chicago-based songwriter Ella Williams who said in a statement on Instagram “I have decided to pull out of my official SXSW showcase in protest of SXSW’s ties to the defence industry and in support of the Palestinian people.” Williams asserted that she doesn’t believe a music festival should include profiteers of war and that art is a tool to create a better world. After Williams, over 80 others, including Kneecap, Mamalarky and Eliza McLamb, joined the boycott.
Austin, Texas-based SXSW is one of the largest festivals worldwide, with up to 300,000 people attending its multi-faceted event yearly. The festivals spotlight music, film, emerging technology, interactive media, marketing and other cross-functional art
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