Texas’ SXSW festival drops U.S. Army, weapons manufacturers as sponsors

After activists earlier this year accused Austin’s SXSW festival of being “complicit in human rights abuses,” organizers of the annual gathering revealed that, starring next year, the U.S. Army and arms manufacturers will no longer be welcome as sponsors. SXSW brass quietly announced the change this week on the festival’s FAQ page under the question, “Will the U.S. Army be a sponsor of SXSW 2025?”