The South By Southwest music-showcase-turned-general-tech-and-media-industry-hobnobbing-event faced some controversy in 2024, when the organizers announced a special partnership with the US Army. It's certainly not uncommon for a major corporate entity to sponsor an event, even one that was ostensibly created to highlight independent musicians. The corporation offers up a pittance of its (typically ill-gotten) gains in financial support, and in exchange gets to plaster its name all the over event. That way, people associate your brand with the cool, hip thing they did, and not the union-busting or other awful externalities you've shunted upon the world.
The US Army's sponsorship of SXSW was no different. Except for two major sticking points: it's a government entity, funded by taxpayer dollars, which uses its money and resources to support US foreign policy. Namely, there were quite a few artists attending SXSW who were none-too-pleased with the US Army's involvement in the ongoing destruction of the Gaza Strip, and the tens of thousands of Palestinian people who have been killed using US-supplied weapons.
This prompted some 80-plus musical acts who are slated to perform at the festival to pull out at the last minute in protest.
It seems that protest may have had some impact—if not on US foreign policy, then at least on the organizers of SXSW. Earlier this week—shortly after applications were opened for next year's festival–a curious new update appeared on the website with very little fanfare:
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.
Well would ya look at that!
