Field Day has elaborated on the statement the festival issued last week amid controversy over its owner’s parent company in a new post.
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After 50 artists including Massive Attack and Brian Eno signed an open letter to Field Day, asking it to distance itself from global investment firm KRR, the parent company of Field Day’s owner Superstruct Entertainment, 11 artists pulled out of the festival.
This is because the firm includes stakes in weapons manufacturing companies, the Coastal GasLink pipeline, and multiple Israeli corporations that operate in occupied Palestinian territories (via MixMag).
In response, Field Day – which is set to be held in London’s Brockwell Park on Saturday (May 24), issued a statement in which it acknowledged that people were feeling “hurt and angry” but explained that partnering with Superstruct helped secure the future of the festival.
After the message received criticism from festivalgoers, Field Day issued another statement on Instagram this evening (May 20) in which it apologised for not explaining “in full” the position of the Field Day team themselves or addressing “legitimate concerns about investments in Israel by KRR.”
The statement continued: “We would like to say, clearly and directly, that we stand with the people of Gaza and support the peaceful aims of the Palestinian civil organisations and everyone working tirelessly to give them a voice.”
Field Day then urged for an “immediate end to military action and occupation” as well as “the provision of vital aid in Gaza,” before reiterating that the team had no knowledge of KRR’s investment in Superstruct last year.
It then said: “However, we are sorry we did not say earlier what we unequivocally say now: We are passionately opposed to KKR’s unethical investments in Israel. We cannot control who owns our parent company but we promise to make our – and your – voices, and the ethical values we regard as non-negotiable, heard and understood at all levels.
The festival added that “everyone is welcome” regardless of nationality, race, religion, gender or sexuality, before adding “Free Palestine” at the end of the statement.
Other festivals and events with ties to Superstruct, including Boiler Room and Mighty Hoopla, have had to deal with backlash too. Earlier this year, Boiler Room issued a statement reaffirming its “unapologetically pro-Palestine” stance after some artists cancelled planned performances.
Meanwhile, Mighty Hoopla said in a statement last week that while it “cannot control agreements or investments made in our parent companies”, it does want to “state our clear opposition to KKR’s unethical investments,” and added, “No owner or investor will ever change what Mighty Hoopla stands for and the community it serves.”
It has also been confirmed that Field Day and Mighty Hoopla, along with Wide Awake, will all still be going ahead at Brockwell Park as planned this summer despite Lambeth Council losing a court case.
Local resident Rebekah Shaman, of the Protect Brockwell Park group, took legal action against the council last month, arguing that festival organisers Brockwell Live did not have the correct planning permission, and a judge ruled in her favour last week.
However, organisers announced yesterday (May 19) that “all events in the series will go ahead as planned”.
Headlining Field Day this year is Peggy Gou, with Folamour, Skream & Benga, Mall Grab and Jungle (DJ set) also among those on the bill.
