South by Southwest has expressed support for artists boycotting its festivities and events in Austin, Texas, after they were criticized by that state's governor, Greg Abbott, on social media.
The annual entertainment and technology festival said in a letter Tuesday that it “disagrees with Governor Abbott” and his views on the numerous artists who denounced the military's sponsorship of the festival.
“We are an organization that welcomes diverse points of view. “Music is the soul of SXSW and has long been our legacy,” the Instagram statement read. “We fully respect the decision these artists made to exercise their right to freedom of expression.”
SXSW kicked off last week at the Austin Convention Center and runs through Saturday. However, in recent days, several musicians have abandoned their scheduled appearances, boycotting the festival over its sponsorship deal with the military and the military's support for Israel amid its war against Hamas in Gaza that arose from the militant group's attack on October 7. about Israel.
Singer Rachel Chinouriri announced her plans to withdraw from SXSW in an Instagram post on Tuesday. She expressed her disappointment that the Army was a “super sponsor” of the festival and noted that she was horrified to learn of the military-inspired wellness events at SXSW.
Chinouriri, who said she is the daughter of soldiers, added that her decision to leave her job at SXSW was “extremely easy” and shared her sympathies for the victims of war. She also expressed concern about the “many independent artists” who will continue to play SXSW, which has long served as an incubator for future talent across industries.
She continued: “This has been a huge oversight on SXSW's part and hopefully a great learning experience to be more thoughtful about it in the future.”
Similarly, Irish hip-hop group Kneecap announced Sunday that they would not be performing their shows at SXSW. In an X (formerly Twitter) statement – sporting the colors of the Palestinian flag – Kneecap said the decision was “made in solidarity with the people of Palestine” and to highlight the festival’s “deep ties” with arms companies and the military. The “Sick in the Head” trio also criticized SXSW for platform weapons manufacturers RTX, Collins Aerospace and BAE Systems.
Leaving SXSW will come at a financial cost, but Kneecap said it is “not even one iota of hardship compared to the unimaginable suffering being inflicted every minute of every day on the people of Gaza.”
Israel launched its airstrikes and a ground invasion of Gaza after Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 240 hostages. Since then, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 30,000, according to the Associated Press, citing Gaza health officials.
Other musicians who have withdrawn from the festival include Sprints, FrownLambrini Girls, Okay Shalom and Squirrel Flower, the BBC reported.
Responding to a report that artists abandoned their SXSW appearances and denounced the Army, Abbott tweeted Tuesday: “Goodbye. Do not come back”.
In a post promoting his state's military presence, Abbott wrote: “We are proud of the US military in Texas. If you don't like it, don't come here.”
SXSW, in addition to condemning the Texas governor, recognized the “unspeakable tragedies, the rise of repressive regimes, and the growing spread of violent conflict around the world.” The statement also called for unity.
The festival's message explained its sponsorship of the Army and noted that “the defense industry has historically been a testing ground for many of the systems we rely on today.” He added that events sponsored by Collins Aerospace seek to highlight and raise funds for entrepreneurs creating “potentially revolutionary work.”
The SXSW statement concluded: “We have continued and will continue to support human rights for all. “The situation in the Middle East is tragic and illuminates the growing importance of standing united against justice.”
“We are proud to be a sponsor of SXSW and have the opportunity to showcase the United States Army,” an Army spokesperson said in a statement shared with several media outlets.
Times staff writer Ashley Ahn contributed to this report.
