Barclays suspends sponsorship of the festival due to protests

Barclays has suspended sponsorship of all Live Nation-organised music festivals through 2024, including popular events such as Download, Latitude and the Isle of Wight Festival.

This decision follows protests and withdrawals from several artists over Barclays’ investment ties with arms companies that trade with Israel.

The move came after artists including country singer CMAT, metal band Ithaca and comedian Joanne McNally pulled out of their planned performances this summer. In response, Live Nation confirmed that Barclays would be withdrawing from its festival sponsorship following discussions with the artists.

Barclays had signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Live Nation in 2023, but this suspension reportedly does not cover the full duration of the contract.

Lankum, a Mercury-nominated band set to perform at Latitude, took to Instagram to express their approval of the announcement, highlighting the collective effort of bands, artists and fans to get to this point. They emphasized the importance of standing together for a common goal.

This decision follows a wider trend of artistic protest against Barclays, including a boycott by more than 100 artists at the Great Escape Festival in Brighton in May. Protesters have accused Barclays of increasing its investments in arms companies linked to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

A spokesperson for Barclays confirmed the suspension and assured that customers with festival tickets would not be affected. They stated: “Barclays was asked and has agreed to suspend participation in the remaining Live Nation festivals in 2024.” The bank reiterated its commitment to the defense sector as essential to national and alliance security, despite protests that led to staff intimidation and vandalism.

Several bands, including Pest Control, Speed, Scowl, Zulu and Ithaca, withdrew from the Download Festival this weekend. Pest Control highlighted their refusal to sacrifice their principles for personal gain, while Ithaca called on festival organizers to consider more carefully who they accept funding from.

Irish singer CMAT pulled out of Latitude, citing her reluctance to associate her music with violence. Comedians Joanne McNally and Sophie Duker also withdrew, with Duker highlighting her commitment to avoiding complicity in violence.

Grace Campbell, daughter of former Tony Blair spokesperson Alastair Campbell, and fellow comedian Alexandra Haddow also canceled their performances, with Haddow stating that she “could not in good conscience accept the compensation.”

Barclays has previously acknowledged the human suffering caused by the conflict in Gaza, saying it provides financial services rather than direct investments in defense companies, and stressed that decisions on arms embargoes should be made by governments.

The protest group Bands Boycott Barclays celebrated the suspension as a victory, condemning Barclays for their involvement with arms companies and calling their decision a moral victory. They thanked the hundreds of artists who took action to make their voices heard.