Artists release statement calling on Vivid to drop Airbnb sponsorship and cut links with Israel’s apartheid

Over 20 artists from this year’s Vivid Sydney program have released a statement calling for an end to the festival’s sponsorship deal with Airbnb.

“As musicians and artists booked to perform at Vivid Sydney 2025, we are deeply concerned to learn that Vivid has partnered with Airbnb – a company that is complicit in Israel’s system of apartheid and violent expropriation of Palestinian land,” the statement says.

“As Sydney’s largest music and arts festival, it is appalling that Vivid and Destination NSW have chosen to accept sponsorship from a company that does business with apartheid and is complicit in Israel’s war of annihilation. Continuing this partnership makes Vivid itself complicit in normalising the illegal occupation of Palestinian land and ‘art-washing’ Israel’s crimes.”

“As artists, we cannot remain neutral. We support the growing number of artists that have withdrawn from Vivid Sydney in protest and we demand that the festival immediately cut ties with Airbnb.”

Artists signing the statement include singer-songwriters Yasmina Sadiki and Kaiit, New York-born rapper and producer Patrick Morales (aka Wiki), DJs Moktar, Tangela, DUNJ, Soju Gang and bands G2g and Station Model Violence. See below for the full list of signatories. The full statement is available here.

A growing number of artists have also withdrawn from the event in protest including Steel City Dance Discs, Hunny, Rydeen, BAYANG (tha Bushranger), Sevy, Hazeen, and writer Sisonke Msimang.

AirBNB is listed in the OHCHR (UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) database of companies linked to illegal settlement in the West Bank. It is also listed by the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement as a pressure target.

There are over 320 Airbnb listings in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. As the statement notes “The International Court of Justice has declared these settlements illegal under international law, obliging member states – including Australia – to sever ties with any company conducting business there”—such as Airbnb.

The ICJ’s July 2024 ruling declared Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza illegal, saying that it was imposing measures there that constitute racial segregation and apartheid.

Protesters will also march on Vivid this Friday night, gathering at 6pm at Queen’s Square on Macquarie St, Sydney.

“A disregard for Palestinian lives is unfortunately not new for the current NSW Government led by Chris Minns,” said Adam Adelopour, spokesperson for Stop the War on Palestine.

“The Government was quick to light the Opera House in the colours of the Israeli flag after October 7th 2023, but has taken no similar action to recognise the over 50,000 Palestinians killed by Israel over the last 18 months.”

“Partnership with Airbnb makes Vivid and the NSW Government complicit in Israel’s policies of apartheid and dispossession against Palestinians. We are calling on both Vivid and the NSW Government to dump the sponsorship with Airbnb.”

Read the full artists statement here.

For media comment or more info contact Adam on 0400 351 694.

Vivid artists supporting the open letter

Check the up to date list here with latest signatories.

BAYANG (Tha Bushranger)
BRINA
D-grade (Wings of D’sire)
DUNJ
G2g
Haiku Hands
Hunny
Immy Owusu
Jerome Blazé
Kaiit
Kurt Lam (Manfredo Lament)
Moktar
Nerve Damage
Rapid Dye
Rydeen
Sisonke Msimang
Soju Gang
Station Model Violence
T Breezy
T.Morimoto
Tangela
Utility
Wiki (Patrick Morales)
Yasmina Sadiki
Zigi Blau (Ngaiire)

Artists who have withdrawn for Vivid Sydney over Airbnb sponsorship

BAYANG (tha Bushranger) – musician
Hazeen – band
Hunny
Rydeen – DJ and producer
Sevy – musician
Sisonke Msimang – writer
Steel City Dance Discs