Barclays is suspending its sponsorship with Live Nation for all UK music festivals in 2024

Giving in to pressure from several music groups and an ad hoc move, Barclays has suspended sponsorship of all 2024 music festivals hosted by Live Nation in the UK.

According to Business Matters, festivals not currently supported by Barclays include popular events such as Download, Latitude and Isle of Wight Festival.

More from Deadline

Barclays’ decision came after several artists complained about the financial company’s investment ties with arms companies trading with Israel.

Country artist CMAT, metal band Ithaca and comedian Joanne McNally have pulled out of planned appearances this summer.

Barclays signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Live Nation in 2023, but Business Matters reported that the suspension for 2024 does not cover the entire duration of the deal.

In May, there was a boycott of Barclays at the Great Escape festival in Brighton, in which over 100 artists participated. Barclays has been accused of increasing investments in arms companies linked to Israel.

A Barclays spokesman confirmed the suspension to Business Matters and said there would be no impact on customers with tickets to the festival.

“Barclays has been 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 allied security and said there had been incidents of staff intimidation and vandalism.

Several bands, including Pest Control, Speed, Scowl, Zulu and Ithaca, have withdrawn from this weekend’s Download Festival. Pest Control stressed its refusal to sacrifice its principles for personal gain, while Ithaca called on festival organizers to be more careful about who they accept funding from.

Protest group Bands Boycott Barclays also celebrated the suspension, thanking artists for using their platforms to condemn Barclays.

The best date