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Live Nation’s UK Festivals Reportedly No Longer Sponsored By Barclays
Barclays bank is no longer sponsoring UK festivals including Latitude, Download, and Isle of Wight, according to news reports from the BBC, The Guardian, and others.
The decision was made after several artist, musicians and comedians, pulled out of these events in protest against Barcalys providing financial services companies that profit from war, particularly the war in Gaza.
It started when some 100 acts pulled out of The Great Escape in May, a Live Nation event sponsored by Barclaycard.
News reports quote a Live Nation spokesperson, who said, “following discussion with artists, we have agreed with Barclays that they will step back from sponsorship of our festivals.”
A spokesperson for Barclays told the BBC, “Barclays was asked and has agreed to suspend participation in the remaining Live Nation festivals in 2024,” adding “Barclays customers who hold tickets to these festivals are not affected and their tickets remain valid.
According to news reports, the suspension does not apply to the full five-year contract signed between Barclays and Live Nation in 2023.
Barclays has made it clear that it remains committed to bankroll defence companies, “which is a sector we remain committed to as an essential part of keeping this country and our allies safe,” a statement provided to BBC reads, adding, “The only thing that this small group of activists will achieve is to weaken essential support for cultural events enjoyed by millions.”
Barclays, according to the BBC, previously stated that it “does not directly invest in these companies,” and that “decisions on the implementation of arms embargoes to other nations” were the responsibility of governments.
Bands that pulled out from this weekend’s Download festival include Pest Control, Speed, Scowl, Zulu, and Ithaca. Irish singer/songwriter CMAT, as well as comedians Joanne McNally and Grace Campbell pulled out of Latitude. Many more have joined in the protest. It was unclear at press time, whether the bands and comedians would rejoin the lineup, now that Live Nation and Barclays severed sponsorship ties for the time being.