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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →SXSW kept its U.S. Army and RTX-related sponsorships for its 2024 festival, even as artists and speakers withdrew in protest over the festival’s ties to the military and defense industry amid the war in Gaza. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott criticized the protesters; SXSW said it respected their right to withdraw. In June 2024, SXSW announced a different policy for 2025: the Army and companies engaged in weapons manufacturing would not sponsor the festival.
What prompted the SXSW sponsorship dispute?
The dispute centered on SXSW’s 2024 sponsorship relationships with the U.S. Army and defense contractor RTX. During the festival in Austin, artists and speakers withdrew in protest. Their objections were connected to U.S. government and military support for Israel amid the war in Gaza, according to contemporaneous reporting by Axios Austin, TIME and the San Antonio Express-News.
The withdrawals were a form of protest, not a festival-wide cancellation. Reports described artists and speakers opting out, but the available coverage does not establish a definitive total or complete list.
Why did artists and speakers withdraw?
Those who withdrew objected to the festival’s military and defense-industry sponsorships in light of the war in Gaza and U.S. support for Israel. Their action put the sponsors’ presence at SXSW in public view, while SXSW argued that sponsorship did not mean the festival endorsed every policy or action associated with those institutions.
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SXSW said it respected the choice to leave. TIME quoted the organization: “We fully respect the decision these artists made to exercise their right to free speech.”
What did Greg Abbott say, and how did SXSW respond?
Abbott criticized protesters in a public post: “We are proud of the U.S. military in Texas. If you don’t like it, don’t come here,” TIME reported. The Express-News later characterized his message as telling artists to “don’t come back”; that is a later report’s summary, distinct from the contemporaneous wording quoted by TIME.
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SXSW publicly disagreed with Abbott and stood by the performers’ right to withdraw. Its response defended their decision as an exercise of free speech rather than treating participation as an obligation.
How did SXSW defend its 2024 sponsorship choices?
SXSW said defense institutions could contribute expertise and innovation, particularly in emerging technologies. The Express-News quoted the festival’s explanation: “These institutions are often leaders in emerging technologies, and we believe it’s better to understand how their approach will impact our lives.”
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That was SXSW’s stated rationale for the 2024 sponsorships. It did not resolve the disagreement with artists who viewed those relationships as unacceptable amid the Gaza war.
Did SXSW drop the U.S. Army as a sponsor?
Not for the 2024 festival. SXSW did not retroactively cancel its 2024 sponsorships. In a June 2024 FAQ, it announced that the U.S. Army and companies engaged in weapons manufacturing would not sponsor SXSW 2025. The Express-News quoted the announcement: “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.”
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| Festival year | Sponsorship position | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | The U.S. Army and RTX-related defense sponsorship relationship remained in place. | Artists and speakers withdrew in protest; SXSW defended its sponsorship choices. |
| 2025 | SXSW announced that the U.S. Army and companies engaged in weapons manufacturing would not be sponsors. | The announcement changed the policy for the following edition, not the 2024 festival. |
Why did the decision matter to Austin?
SXSW has a substantial local economic footprint, but one figure often cited in coverage needs attribution. Axios reported that an analysis commissioned by SXSW from Greyhill Advisors estimated $380.9 million in spending activity for the 2023 festival. That is an estimate from commissioned analysis, not a government statistic, and it does not measure the value or effect of the sponsorship dispute.
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