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LAST UPDATE | 12 Mar 2024
THE DEPARTMENT OF Foreign affairs has said it “supports artists’ rights to freedom of expression” after a number of acts pulled out of the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in the US.
All musical acts from the island of Ireland have now pulled out of the arts festival in Austin, Texas in the United States – 10 from the Republic and two from the North.
Today the Arts and Culture Minister Catherine Martin said while she respects the decision of the artists who have since pulled out of the event, she still will be attending the festival to “promote Ireland’s creative industries”.
Rap trio Kneecap were among the first acts to withdraw yesterday due to the US Army being a “Super Sponsor” for the event.
We will not be appearing at @sxsw festival. 👇 pic.twitter.com/nt5hEMH2GM
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) March 10, 2024
The DFA and a host of other Irish organisations make up the ‘Ireland House’ exhibit at the popular festival in Austin, Texas.
Arts and Culture Minister Catherine Martin will also attend the SXSW festival and has been urged to withdraw from the event by Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns.
“It is deeply disturbing that an Irish Arts Minister would attend a festival sponsored by the US military – particularly when the US is arming Israel as it slaughters tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza,” said Cairns.
Minister Catherine Martin today said she has spoken to many of the artists who have withdrawn and “outlined that she has the utmost respect for their freedom of expression as artists”.
A spokesperson said Martin “reassured them that she will use every opportunity available to her to make clear her revulsion at the devastation that has been unleashed on Gaza”.
The spokesperson added that Martin will use a St Patrick’s Day consular reception in Austin tonight to “call for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and a massive and sustained increase in humanitarian aid, food and medicine to the people of Gaza”.
The Gurriers, New Dad, Cardinals, and Conchur White are the latet acts to withdraw from the event as well as Kneecap Sprints, Soda Blonde, Gavin James, Mick Flannery, Robert Grace and Elona Gay.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was today asked about artist boycotting the event in Washington D.C, in the United States, today.
He told reporters that it is not the policy of the Irish government to boycott events, such as South by Southwest (SXSW), where there are no exclusion mandates at the events.
The Taoiseach told reporters that it’s not the Government’s place to tell athletes, businesspeople, musicians or academics to exclude themselves from events when other States have not been excluded.
“It’s one thing to exclude a country from an event or from a competition or from a sporting event or a film festival, for example. It’s another thing to exclude yourself because they weren’t excluded.
“And it’s not our policy, to boycott. It’s our policy to engage,” he added.
While Varadkar said he is appreciative that others take a different view, he conceded that the Irish government will support exclusion measures taken in the future at similar events, such as Russia’s exclusion from the Eurovision.
The festival, which showcases rising talent in music, film and television, began yesterday and will run until 16 March. The US Army has signed on as a “Super Sponsor” and “featured partner” of the festival.
Collins Aerospace, which describes itself as a “leader in the defence industry”, also has an exhibition at the festival, due to its role as a “participating brand”.
Collins Aerospace is owned by RTX, formerly Raytheon Technologies Corporation, which is a military contractor and derives much of its revenue from the US military. It also supplies weapons to the Israeli military.
This morning, Mick Flannery joined Belfast rap trio Kneecap, Gavin James, Sprints, Soda Blonde, Robert Grace, Enola Gay, and Chalk in withdrawing from the festival due to its ties with the US Army.
— Mick Flannery (@MickFlannery) March 11, 2024
Mick Flannery said he doesn’t want to be associated with weapons manufacturers, and Gavin James remarked that he “will never support any event that is associated with weapons of war”.
Kneecap said the move was an effort to “highlight the unacceptable deep link the festival has to weapons companies and the US military, who at this very moment are enabling a genocide and famine against a trapped population”.
Elsewhere, Soda Blonde said they don’t want to “tacitly endorse the military-industrial complex” and Sprints said the move was done “in solidarity with the Palestinian people and as a stand against the US Army sponsorship and Defence contractor involvement”.
Robert Grace has also withdrawn from the festival, as have Enola Gay and Belfast band Chalk.
Grace echoed Gavin James and said “music and art should always stand on the side of peace and humanity”, Chalk said they withdrew in “solidarity with the people of Palestine”, while Enola Gay said “it’s impossible to perform at a festival where the US Army are a ‘Super Sponsor’.”
Music From Ireland, which will have a presence at Ireland House, today said it is facilitiating a meeting with artists who have travelled to Austin “so they may make a decision on how they want to proceed”.
Our update shared earlier this morning. Stay posted for further developments. https://t.co/f1KKjT8tsP pic.twitter.com/COHysB2kk1
— Music From Ireland (@MusicFrmIreland) March 12, 2024
“We will support whatever decision they make and update our plans accordingly,” added Music From Ireland.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the ‘Ireland House’ at SXSW will “showcase the best of Irish creativity in the fields of science, innovation, technology, culture and the arts”.
The DFA is working in collaboration with a range of bodies, including Enterprise Ireland, Screen Ireland, Culture Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Music From Ireland and the IDA.
The DFA said the project will “showcase the richness of our culture, creativity, and innovation”.
In a statement to The Journal, a spokesperson for the DFA said the Department “is aware that a number of artists due to participate in Music From Ireland at SXSW have withdrawn from the event”.
They added: “The Department supports artists’ rights to freedom of expression and does not advise artists in relation to choices they make on where to perform.
“In relation to the war in Gaza, Ireland has strongly argued for an upholding of international humanitarian law, a humanitarian ceasefire and sustained humanitarian assistance.”
Elsewhere, Music From Ireland said one of its “core values” is “artistic freedom of expression” and added that it does not “mediate or advise artists in relation to choices they make on any matter”.
“If any artist choose not to participate in SXSW this will not have a bearing on future showing opportunities,” added Music From Ireland.
The statement added that Music From Ireland and its funder Culture Ireland “actively supports artists’ right to freedom of expression”.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for IDA told The Journal that events such as SXSW are a “means of engaging with existing and potential FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) clients considering investing in Ireland”.
The IDA spokesperson said its attendance at SXSW is “primarily focused on a number of tech sector clients and new prospects”.
Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland reverted to the DFA statement when approached for comment by The Journal, while the other bodies have yet to respond.
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