SXSW responds to criticism amid artist boycott
Dozens of acts have pulled out of performing at this year's festival in protest at SXSW's partnerships with the military
News By James Hanley | 13 March 2024
South By Southwest (SXSW) says it “fully” respects the decision of dozens of artists to pull out of this year’s event in protest of the festival’s ties to the US Army and defence industry.
Acts such as Squirrel Flower, Kneecap, Lambrini Girls, Sprints, Proper, Eliza McLamb, Mamalarky, Scowl, Gel and Okay Shalom cancelled scheduled sets in response to the military’s support for Israel in the war in Gaza.
SXSW 2024 runs in Austin, Texas, from 8-16 March and typically attracts more than 300,000 attendees to each annual edition.
The army is listed as a “super sponsor” of the event, which has also agreed a number of defence industry partnerships.
Texas governor Greg Abbott posted yesterday (12 March) on X: “Bands pull out of…
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