South by Southwest has discontinued its partnerships with the US Army and defense contractor RTX Corporation for the 2025 festival in response to concerns from numerous artists who withdrew from the 2024 event.
“After careful consideration of our offerings, we are revising our sponsorship model,” the Austin-based festival announced in a statement this week (via The Daily Dot ). “As a result, the US Army, and companies who engage in weapons manufacturing, will not be sponsors of SXSW 2025.” Along with the US Army, SXSW has ceased its partnership with Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of weapons manufacturer RTX Corporation (formerly known as Raytheon).
In response to Israel’s invasion of Gaza, over 80 artists withdrew from the 2024 SXSW lineup, protesting the festival’s sponsorship ties with the US Army and Collins Aerospace. SXSW initially depended the relationships, saying in a statement that, “The defense industry has historically been a proving ground for many of the systems we rely on today. These institutions are often leaders in emerging technologies, and we believe it’s better to understand how their approach will impact our lives.” Meanwhile, Texas governor Greg Abbot offered a blunt message to bands who pulled out of the festival in protest of the US Army’s involvement: “Bye. Don’t come back.”
South by Southwest 2025 is set to take place March 7th-15th, 2025 in downtown Austin, Texas. The festival also recently announced a new offshoot event taking place in London , which will occur in June 2025.
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