Barclays Ends Sponsorship of Multiple UK Festivals Amid Controversy Over Ties to Israel-Hamas Conflict
Following pressure from artists and activists, Barclays has announced that it will no longer sponsor Latitude, Download, or Isle of Wight festivals. Live Nation, the concert promoter behind these events, confirmed the news, stating that “following discussion with artists, we have agreed with Barclays that they will step back from sponsorship of our festivals.”
The decision comes after a number of musicians and comedians dropped out of these festivals in protest of Barclays’ ties to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The bank had signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Live Nation in 2023, but it is currently unclear if the suspension will apply to all events up to 2028.
Notable names to withdraw from Latitude Festival include comedians Joanne McNally, Sophie Duker, Grace Campbell, and Alexandra Haddow. Musicians CMAT, Pillow Queens, Mui Zyu, and Georgia Ruth have also pulled out of the event. Similarly, Download Festival has seen acts such as Pest Control, Ithaca, Scowl, Speed, and Zulu drop out due to the festival’s sponsorship.
In a statement on Instagram, Pest Control expressed their reasoning for pulling out, stating, “We will not take part in an event whose sponsor profits from facilitating a genocide.” Ithaca also shared their decision on social media, saying, “Whilst we hate letting anyone down, this moment of solidarity sends a powerful message to the organizers about where the younger generation of bands stand.”
Barclays, in response to the backlash, stated, “Barclays was asked and has agreed to suspend participation in the remaining Live Nation festivals in 2024.” The bank also called on leaders to “stand united” against activist pressure, as Palestine Action, a group responsible for attacking 20 of the bank’s branches last week, accused Barclays of having financial ties to both the Israeli weapons trade and fossil fuels.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign has called for a general boycott of the bank, while the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has named Barclays as one of their “divestment and exclusion” targets. In response, Barclays stated, “The protestors’ agenda is to have Barclays debank defence companies which is a sector we remain committed to as an essential part of keeping this country and our allies safe.”
They also denounced the actions of Palestine Action, stating, “They have resorted to intimidating our staff, repeated vandalism of our branches and online harassment. The only thing that this small group of activists will achieve is to weaken essential support for cultural events enjoyed by millions.”
Meanwhile, Live Nation, the organizers of these festivals, stated, “Following discussion with artists, we have agreed with Barclays that they will step back from sponsorship of Latitude Festival.” This comes as a victory for campaign group Bands Boycott Barclays, who have been leading the protests against the bank’s sponsorship of music events.
The group wrote on Instagram, “This is a victory for the Palestinian-led global BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement. As musicians, we were horrified that our music festivals were partnered with Barclays, who are complicit in the genocide in Gaza through investment, loans and underwriting of arms companies supplying the Israeli military.”
They continued, “Hundreds of artists have taken action this summer to make it clear that this is morally reprehensible, and we are glad we have been heard. Our demand to Barclays is simple: divest from the genocide, or face further boycotts. Boycotting Barclays, also Europe’s primary funder of fossil fuels, is the minimum we can do to call for change.”
Festival sponsors have faced growing scrutiny in recent years, with Barclays’ decision to end their sponsorship of these events following a similar move by Hay Festival last month. The literary event dropped its sponsorship with investment management firm Baillie Gifford after numerous celebrities pulled out due to the company’s links to fossil fuels and businesses linked to the Israeli defence industry.
Other events, such as SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, have also faced boycotts due to their connections to the US army and weapons companies linked with the Israel-Hamas conflict. With Download Festival set to take place in Donington Park, Leicestershire this weekend, and the Isle of Wight Festival and Latitude Festival planned for later this summer, the decision by Barclays to end their sponsorship raises questions about the role of corporations in the music industry.