South by Southwest has discontinued its partnership with the US military and defense contractor RTX Corporation for the 2025 festival in response to concerns from numerous artists who pulled out of the 2024 event.
“After careful consideration of our offerings, we are reviewing our sponsorship model,” the Austin-based festival said. Announced in a statement this week (via The daily point). “As a result, the US military and companies involved in weapons manufacturing will not be sponsors of SXSW 2025.” Along with the US military, SXSW has ended its partnership with Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of weapons manufacturer RTX Corporation (formerly known as Raytheon).
In response to the Israeli invasion of Gaza, more than 80 artists pulled out of the SXSW 2024 lineup, protesting the festival's sponsorship ties to the US military and Collins Aerospace. Initially, SXSW relied on relationships, saying in a statement that “the defense industry has historically been a testing ground for many of the systems we rely on today. “These institutions are often leaders in emerging technologies and we believe it is best to understand how their approach will impact our lives.” Meanwhile, Texas Governor Greg Abbot offered a strong message to the bands that pulled out of the festival in protest of the US military's involvement: “Goodbye. Do not come back”.
South by Southwest 2025 will take place March 7-15, 2025 in downtown Austin, Texas. The festival also recently announced a new spin-off event taking place in London, taking place in June 2025.
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