At least 15 acts have pulled out of Field Day music festival in London as part of a Palestine-related campaign against parent company KKR.
More than 200 performers have signed an open letter urging the event’s organisers to sever its ties with the private equity firm.
The boycott has received the backing of artists such as Brian Eno, Massive Attack and I. JORDAN.
Field Day has become a key part of the UK’s music calendar since its launch in 2007. It is moving from its traditional home in Victoria park to Brockwell Park, in Lambeth, for this year’s edition.
The festival — which attracts more than 40,000 revellers each year — has hosted the likes of Erykah Badu, Florence & The Machine and Foals over the years.
But activists allege that KKR – the parent company of Field Day’s owner Superstruct Entertainment – has increased its investment in Israel.
Last year, KKR acquired Superstruct Entertainment — which operates more than 80 festivals across Europe and Australia, including South West Four in Clapham Common — for a reported £1billion.
However, KKR has faced backlash for its ties to companies involved in the development of Israeli settlements on the West Bank, including Axel Springer and Guesty.
The global investment giant also has stakes in weapons manufacturing companies such as Circor International, as well as the Coastal GasLink pipeline in Canada.
In April, an open letter was published by the all-female DJ collective Sisu Crew accusing Field Day’s leadership of having “implicated in the crimes against humanity of apartheid and genocide”.
Malissa, Ariana V and Moontalk have confirmed they will no longer perform at Field Day amid Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 massacre, which killed 1,200 Israelis and led to the kidnapping of 250 more.
Meanwhile, Israel's response has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, according to Gazan health officials.
The festival is now implicated in the crimes against humanity of apartheid and genocide
Jyoty, Ben UFO and Rrose were among dozens of artists who were not booked to play at the Field Day but signed the letter.
It read: “We are a coalition of artists — including many who have been booked to play Field Day in the past and present — who come together to stand against Israel’s genocide in Gaza and to stand for all rights of the Palestinian people under international law.
“While we understand that this acquisition was not the choice of Field Day, it nonetheless means that the festival is now implicated in the crimes against humanity of apartheid and genocide.”
The letter goes on to request that Field Day “adopt an ethical programming and partnerships policy”, adding that it has “an urgent and profound legal and moral obligation… (to) publicly distance itself from KKR to the fullest extent it possibly can”.
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The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has previously lobbied artists to boycott gigs organised by Superstruct Entertainment.
Earlier this year, club promoter Boiler Room shared a statement reaffirming its “unapologetically pro-Palestine” stance after some artists dropped out of its sets due to its relationship with KKR.
Field Day was previously held in Brockwell Park in 2018, before briefly moving to Drumsheds, Enfield in 2019.
It then returned to Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets in 2021, where the Field Day had been hosted for 11 years prior to 2018.
The festival will return to Brockwell Park for this year’s edition on May 25, which is set to be headlined by Peggy Gou.
Field Day is joining a string of other festivals taking place at the park this year, including Wide Awake, Mighty Hoopla and City Splash.
However, residents in Tulse Hill and Herne Hill have filed a High Court claim against Lambeth Council over its decision to greenlight large-scale summer festivals.
The Protect Brockwell Park group have called for an end to “large-scale, unsustainable events” that are “damaging the ecological fabric of the park”.
A statement given to the Standard by the festival organisers read: “First of all, please allow us to apologise for taking this long to respond to the recently published open letter and to release a public statement.
“Since Field Day began as an independent festival in 2007, our aim has always been, simply, to give you an incredible festival experience with the very best artists from around the world. Through many challenging times, various venues and several changes of ownership, Field Day has never compromised on those ambitions and values, putting on the best show we can in the way we always have.
“By partnering with Superstruct Entertainment in April 2023, the future of the festival and its creative and operational independence were secured – the ownership changed but not the ethos. Since then, as has been reported, they have been bought by KKR, of which we had no say in, which has prompted a passionate discussion.
“As a high-profile event operating in a global context, our team, of course, recognises the strength of feeling of the artists involved and the fans who attend. The open letter itself says that this situation is “not the choice of Field Day” and we are sorry that some artists have chosen not to perform at this year’s festival.
“We have a new home this year but Field Day is, at its heart, the same as it ever was: the dedicated team who put it on, the fans who attend and the artists who bring the soundtrack from all over the world. We remain in full creative control of Field Day and our values remained unchanged.
“We know there will be many of you out there who are hurt and angry about this situation. We hope that this helps you to understand the position of the festival team.
“We look forward to seeing many of you in Brockwell Park next weekend.”
