After 80 artists pulled out of 2024 fest over sponsorship deal, organizers say U.S. Army and “companies who engage in weapons manufacturing will not be sponsors of SXSW 2025”
The organizers of South by Southwest announced Wednesday that it has cut ties with the U.S. Army and other weapons manufacturers following a 2024 festival that saw artists pulling out of the lineup due to sponsorship deals with those entities.
“After careful consideration, we are revising our sponsorship model,” SXSW said in a statement. “As a result, the US Army, and companies who engage in weapons manufacturing, will not be sponsors of SXSW 2025.”
In March, acts like Kneecap, Scowl, Squirrel Flower, Eliza McLamb, Shalom, and Mamalarky all withdrew from SXSW due to the fest being in part sponsored by the U.S. Army. “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,” Squirrel Flower’s Ella Williams wrote on Instagram at the time.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott entered the fray soon after, defending the sponsorship and telling the departed artists, “Don’t come back.” While organizers responded by saying “SXSW does not agree with Governor Abbott,” they did initially defend the sponsorships.
SXSW “fully respect the decision these artists made to exercise their right to free speech,” organizers said in March. “The defense industry has historically been a proving ground for many of the systems we rely on today. These institutions are often leaders in emerging technologies, and we believe it’s better to understand how their approach will impact our lives. The Army’s sponsorship is part of our commitment to bring forward ideas that shape our world. In regard to Collins Aerospace, they participated this year as a sponsor of two SXSW Pitch categories, giving entrepreneurs visibility and funding for potentially game-changing work.”
However, following the uproar the sponsorship caused — with roughly 80 artists dropping off the bill — SXSW has opted to cease the partnership ahead of next year’s fest.
