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SXSW said the U.S. Army and companies engaged in weapons manufacturing would not sponsor its 2025 festival, citing a revision to its sponsorship model. The June 2024 announcement followed withdrawals and protests by artists at the 2024 festival, but SXSW did not say those protests were its reason for the change.
What SXSW announced
In its support FAQ, SXSW answered the question “Will the US Army be a sponsor of SXSW 2025?” with this statement: “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.” SXSW Support FAQ
The policy covered sponsorships for the 2025 festival. It did not announce a cancellation of the Army’s or defense-related sponsors’ participation in the 2024 event; contemporary reporting said SXSW maintained its 2024 sponsorship choices.
Why the decision drew attention
The announcement came after artists withdrew from the March 2024 festival and protested the Army and defense-industry sponsorships. The Guardian and other outlets described the objections as connected to U.S. support for Israel amid the war in Gaza. That is reported context, not SXSW’s stated rationale: the organization attributed its decision to revising its sponsorship model.
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The San Antonio Express-News reported that at least 80 artists had pulled out before the announcement; The Guardian described more than 80 withdrawals. These are each outlet’s characterization, not a single official SXSW tally. San Antonio Express-News, June 27, 2024 · The Guardian, June 26, 2024
Which companies were excluded?
SXSW’s FAQ names a category—“companies who engage in weapons manufacturing”—but does not provide a company-by-company list or define the category in more detail. It is therefore not possible to identify a complete roster from the announced policy alone.
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When was the 2025 festival?
At the time of the June 2024 announcement, the San Antonio Express-News reported that SXSW 2025 was scheduled for March 7–15 in Austin. San Antonio Express-News
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