Barclays will not partner with The Great Escape festival in 2025 following artist boycotts in support of Palestine
Barclays will no longer partner with The Great Escape festival for its 2025 event, it has been confirmed.
Over 125 artists dropped out of the festival earlier this year as part of a mass boycott against the bank’s partnership in support of Palestine. Over 1000 artists including Massive Attack, IDLES and Brian Eno also signed an open letter urging the event to drop Barclays as a partner.
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Barclays has been accused of investing in a number of companies that supply arms to Israel amid its ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. As reported by NME, the bank claims it is “trading in shares of listed companies in response to client instruction or demand”.
Artists including Alfie Templeman, Delilah Bon, Lambrini Girls and many more dropped out of the 2024 festival, which takes place in Brighton during May each year. News of the partnership not going ahead for its next year was confirmed via X through the account Bands Boycott Barclays, a collection of musicians and industry professionals using their “cultural power to stand in solidarity with Palestine by boycotting all music festivals partnered with Barclays”.
“Confirmed: Barclays is not a partner of The Great Escape 2025! Boycotts work!” The statement reads. “After hundreds of artists and music industry professionals took collective action in solidarity with Palestine this year, Barclays are no longer in any way affiliated with The Great Escape Festival!”
CONFIRMED: Barclays is not a partner of The Great Escape 2025! BOYCOTTS WORK! After hundreds of artists and music industry professionals took collective action in solidarity with Palestine this year, Barclays are no longer in any way affiliated with The Great Escape Festival! pic.twitter.com/T596wovFYY
— bandsboycottbarclays (@bands_boycott) October 6, 2024
Currently, the 2025 Great Escape is scheduled for 15-17 May 2025, across various venues in Brighton. The lineup includes Disgusting Sisters, Luvcat, and The Stingrays, plus other up and coming musicians.
Tickets for 2025 are on sale now. Find out more via The Great Escape.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
