SXSW Cuts Ties with Weapons Manufacturers and U.S. Army Following Backlash

After careful consideration, we are revising our sponsorship model. As a result, the US Army, and companies who engage in weapons manufacturing, will not be sponsors of SXSW 2025. - Statement from SXSW on its website.

South by Southwest (SXSW) has severed ties with weapons manufacturers and the U.S. Army following protests and boycotts from artists and speakers at the 2024 festival. The decision comes after controversy surrounding SXSW's sponsorship by defense contractors and the U.S. Army, with protestors claiming the festival was platforming the "U.S. war machine."

It is unclear how much sponsorship money was contributed by weapons manufacturers like RTX Corp. (formerly Raytheon) and the U.S. Army, but the festival's decision is a direct response to the boycotts, which were spearheaded by artists such as Squirrel Flower (Ella Williams), who stated on Instagram:

"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... Blood money has no place in music."

Fellow artist Eliza McLamb echoed similar sentiments in a post on Twitter:

"I will never put my name on or perform my labor for an event in service of the US war machine, and especially not now as they continue to fuel the ongoing violence against Palestinians."

The boycotts, which gained support from over 80 artists and speakers, have successfully influenced SXSW to revise its sponsorship model, excluding weapons manufacturers and the military.