Artists claim victory as Barclays withdraws sponsorship from Live Nation festivals amid boycott

This move came after several bands, including Pest Control, Speed, Scowl, Zulu, and Ithaca, pulled out from Download, which starts on Friday in Leicestershire. A Live Nation spokesperson said: "Following discussion with artists, we have agreed with Barclays that they will step back from sponsorship of our festivals."

Pest Control shared on Instagram: “We will not take part in an event whose sponsor profits from facilitating a genocide.” Ithaca echoed this sentiment on X (formerly Twitter), saying: “Whilst we hate letting anyone down, this moment of solidarity sends a powerful message to the organisers about where the younger generation of bands stand.”

Tom Morello, guitarist of Rage Against The Machine, commended the festival’s decision, saying: “The fact that the festival has listened to its musicians and cut ties with Barclays Bank is a testament to the power of artists taking collective action for human rights. I’ve been pushing hard for this behind the scenes and I salute all the artists like Zulu, Scowl and Speed who have taken a stand to help make this historic withdrawal happen.”

The campaign group Bands Boycott Barclays, which led the protests, noted that 163 acts, four showcases, and two venues had previously pulled out of the Barclaycard-sponsored Great Escape festival in Brighton in May.

Following Live Nation’s announcement, the group declared on Instagram: “This is a victory for the Palestinian-led global BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement. Hundreds of artists have taken action this summer to make it clear that this is morally reprehensible, and we are glad we have been heard.”

Barclays, recently targeted by pro-Palestine campaigners who vandalised several branches, defended its position in a statement, explaining, “We trade in shares of listed companies in response to client instruction or demand... Barclays is not a ‘shareholder’ or ‘investor’ in that sense.”

Climate campaigners also praised the suspension of Barclaycard’s sponsorship. Joanna Warrington of Fossil Free London criticised Barclays for its investments in fossil fuel companies and arms manufacturers. She said: “This won’t stop until Barclays stops funding destruction.”

Greenpeace UK’s co-executive director, Areeba Hamid, highlighted Barclays' role in funding destructive industries, saying: “By putting an end to the greenwashing, festival organisers are sending a clear signal to Barclays that it’s time they took responsibility for the destructive industries they fund.”

In a recent opinion piece in The Guardian, Barclays chief executive CS Venkatakrishnan criticized the actions against the bank as disinformation campaigns that threaten colleagues and cultural support. He defended the bank’s practices, clarifying its role in defence financing and cultural institution support.