Dozens Of Artists Pull Out Of SXSW Due To Army Sponsorship During Israel-Hamas Conflict

A growing group of artists are pulling out of official South By Southwest showcases to protest the U.S. Army’s status as a “super sponsor” of the Austin festival.

A running list maintained by Squirrel Flower, who was the first artist to drop in protest, shows more than three dozen artists have pulled out in response to the Army’s sponsorship, along with the sponsorship of Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of defense contractor Raytheon. The artists say the ties of SXSW to the Army and the defense industry are especially troubling in light of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The United States is the largest international supporter of the Israeli military, providing monetary, material and training support. Weapons and other materiel are supplied by Raytheon and other American manufacturers

 “I have decided to pull out of my official SXSW showcases in protest of SXSW’s ties to the defense industry and in support of the Palestinian people,” Squirrel Flower wrote on Instagram March 4. “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.”

Other artists who have dropped out have posted similar statements.

Saturday — day one of the film, music and comedy festival that’s come to define and inform much of the independent music scene — a protest attended by what the Austin Chronicle said were “dozens” of people took place outside the city’s convention center as a panel including a Raytheon employee took place inside, one of many panels planned that are sponsored by Defense Department entities and defense contractors or that feature employees or representatives thereof.

According to the Chronicle, protesters chanted “Ceasefire now,” “No business as usual,” and “Free Palestine,” and the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the protest’s organizers, demanded that SXSW disinvite Department of Defense affiliates from the festival.

Artists including Eve 6’s Jon Siebels encouraged fellow artists to pull out of SXSW.

“They’re not getting paid shit anyway, so they might as well [drop out],” Siebels said, according to the Chronicle.

A number of artists who planned on playing official SXSW showcases will instead move to unofficial — and often free — performances.

The Army said in a statement it is “proud to be a sponsor of SXSW, and to have the opportunity to showcase America’s Army.”

SXSW has not responded to a request for comment.