In response to artists and comedians dropping out in protest over the bank’s connection to the Israel-Hamas conflict, Barclays has decided to cease sponsoring Latitude, Download, and Isle of Wight festivals.
Live Nation, the concert organiser, informed Sky News that Barclays would be stepping back from sponsoring their festivals after discussions with artists.
The upcoming summer festivals in the UK by Live Nation, including Latitude, Download, and the Isle of Wight, will no longer feature Barclays as a sponsor.
The bank had initially signed a five-year sponsorship agreement with Live Nation in 2023, but it remains uncertain if the suspension of sponsorship will extend to all events until 2028.
Several comedians such as Joanne McNally, Sophie Duker, Grace Campbell, and Alexandra Haddow have announced their decision to boycott the Latitude Festival, following the withdrawal of musical acts.
Additionally, musicians like CMAT, Pillow Queens, Mui Zyu, and Georgia Ruth have also pulled out of the event.
Acts scheduled to perform at the Download Festival, taking place at Donington Park, Leicestershire, have also withdrawn in protest against the festival’s sponsorship, including Pest Control, Ithaca, Scowl, Speed, and Zulu.
In a statement on Instagram, Pest Control expressed, “We decline to participate in an event where the sponsor profits from supporting a genocide.”
Meanwhile, Ithaca emphasized, “Despite our regret in disappointing anyone, this solidarity moment conveys a strong message to the organizers about the stance of the younger generation of bands.”
Responding to the situation, a Barclays spokesperson informed Sky News that the bank had agreed to suspend its participation in the remaining Live Nation festivals in 2024.
Barclays Urges ‘Leaders’ to Unify Against Activist Pressure
Palestine Action, a group responsible for attacking 20 Barclays branches across England and Scotland recently, has accused the bank of having financial interests in both Israel’s arms trade and fossil fuels.
The UK-based Palestine Solidarity Campaign has called for a widespread boycott of Barclays, while the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has identified Barclays as a target for “divestment and exclusion.”
Barclays’ statement asserted, “The demonstrators’ objective is to compel Barclays to disassociate from defence companies, a field to which we are committed as a crucial aspect of safeguarding this country and our allies.”
“They have resorted to intimidating our employees, incessant vandalism of our branches, and online harassment. The sole outcome of these few activists will be to weaken crucial support for cultural events enjoyed by millions.”
“It is imperative for leaders in various sectors including politics, business, academia, and the arts to unite against this pressure.”
Barclays clarified that while they offer financial services to public companies supplying defence products to NATO and its allies, they do not directly invest in these firms.
Latitude Festival confirmed their decision to end Barclays’ sponsorship following discussions with artists.
Mass Withdrawal of Comedians
McNally, a star on Taskmaster and slated to close the Latitude Festival, shared on Instagram that due to the festival’s Barclays sponsorship, she has withdrawn from the event.
Comedian Duker, in solidarity with the cause, announced her boycott of the Latitude Festival, describing it as a stand against what she considers to be a series of reprehensible, illegal acts of violence.
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Comedian, aged 34, shared the challenges of her pro-Palestinian views, revealing receiving violent attacks, targeted harassment, and threats to her life.
Fellow artist Grace Campbell, daughter of former spokesman Alastair Campbell, expressed solidarity by withdrawing from the festival after supporting Duker’s stance on Instagram.
A similar decision was made by comedian Alexandra Haddow, who cited ethical reasons for her withdrawal from Latitude and stated on Instagram, “I cannot ethically accept remuneration.”
In a recent Instagram post, Irish singer-songwriter CMAT announced her boycott of Latitude, emphasizing, “I refuse to associate my beloved music with violence.”
Celebration of Campaign Groups’ Triumph
Barclays defended its position in response to the acts withdrawing, acknowledging the severe human suffering caused by the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The statement released online by Barclays clarified, “We offer essential financial services to US, UK, and European publicly traded companies supplying defense equipment to NATO and its partners.”
“Barclays does not directly invest in these companies. The defense sector plays a crucial role in our national security, and the UK government has confirmed that supporting defense firms aligns with ESG considerations.
“Decisions regarding arms embargoes on other nations fall under the purview of the respective elected governments.”
Barclays Boycott Victory Celebrated by Bands
Following Barclays’ withdrawal, the campaign group Bands Boycott Barclays, at the forefront of the protests, announced on Instagram, “This marks a win for the global BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement led by Palestinians.”
“As musicians, we were appalled by the festival’s partnership with Barclays, complicit in the Gaza crisis through financial investments, loans, and support to arms manufacturers supplying the Israeli military.
“Numerous artists have taken a stand this season to denounce this immoral behavior, and we are pleased that our voices have been heard.
“Our demand to Barclays is straightforward: disinvest from the atrocities or face continued boycotts. The boycott of Barclays, as a significant financier of fossil fuels in Europe, is a modest step in our call for change.”
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Over 100 performers exited The Great Escape Festival in Brighton and Hove last month due to its associations with Barclays.
The suspension was also welcomed by climate activists for its alignment with their efforts.
Protest Against Barclaycard Sponsorship
Allegation of Sponsorship by ‘Corrupt Bank’
According to Joanna Warrington from Fossil Free London, Barclays is being described as a corrupt bank. Various artists, brands, clients, and customers are cutting ties with Barclays due to the significant investments the bank is making in fossil fuel companies like Shell and Israeli arms manufacturers that are involved in attacks on innocent Palestinian children.
Warrington emphasized that this trend of divestment from Barclays will continue until the bank ceases its financial support for destructive industries. Areeba Hamid, the co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, highlighted that Barclays is the largest funder of fossil fuels in Europe, financing oil and gas companies with billions of pounds and now being linked to arms manufacturers implicated in the conflict in Gaza.
By rejecting greenwashing, festival organizers are delivering a strong message to Barclays, urging the bank to take accountability for the harmful industries it funds.
Increasing Scrutiny on Festival Sponsors
Barclays has acknowledged that although they are no longer sponsoring the festivals, ticket holders who are their customers will not be impacted, and their tickets will remain valid.
In a similar development, Hay Festival terminated its partnership with investment management company Baillie Gifford after several celebrities withdrew their participation due to the firm’s connections with fossil fuels and entities associated with the Israeli defense sector.
Activist group Fossil Free Books called upon prominent figures to distance themselves from the literary event, leading to personalities like comedian Nish Kumar, singer Charlotte Church, and Labour MP Dawn Butler canceling their appearances.
Furthermore, in March, multiple artists refused to perform at SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, due to the event’s affiliations with the US military and arms manufacturers linked to conflicts.
Download Festival is scheduled to take place in Donington Park, Leicestershire, this weekend, while the Isle of Wight Festival will be held at Seaclose Park, Newport, featuring headliners such as The Prodigy, Pet Shop Boys, and Green Day from 20th to 23rd June.
Latitude Festival at Henham Park in Suffolk, planned for 25th to 29th July, is expected to attract tens of thousands of attendees.