Reading and Leeds

MUSICIANS AND MUSIC WORKERS CAN SIGN HERE

As musicians and music workers, including many who have appeared at Reading and Leeds festivals in the past, we refuse to be silent while Israel continues its genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, ethnic cleansing in the occupied West Bank, and criminal aggression against the peoples of Lebanon, Iran and beyond.

Much commentary on the so-called ceasefire in Gaza has ignored that Palestinians are brutalised and dehumanised on a day-to-day basis. Just weeks ago, a UN independent commission found that Israel continues to deliberately target and kill Palestinian children in Gaza. Meanwhile, many governments and corporations have enabled its ongoing genocide.

Refusing silence in the face of oppression and impunity is our moral obligation, as artists and workers who seek to live in a more just and peaceful world. Our cultural spaces must uphold and respect fundamental human rights and dignity for everyone–including Indigenous Palestinians and all marginalised groups. Music festivals are no different.

We stand in solidarity with Palestinian artists’ urgent call on festivals and venues to adopt ethical sponsorship and programming policies that resist complicity in all oppression, especially while the ascendant far-right and climate change threatens all of us.

Many of us know and love Reading and Leeds festivals, from our younger years until now. We echo a thousand artists calling on its owner Live Nation to drop Live Nation Israel, which has glorified the genocidal Israeli military and artwashes apartheid, and we invite Reading and Leeds and Festival Republic to join us in speaking out. This moment demands that we unflinchingly insist on freedom, justice and equality for all.

Signed,

Aaron MF Olson – Musician

Ada Lea – Musician

Adriaan de Roover – Musician

Akiko Haruna – Musician

Alf Guedeney – Musician

AM Higgins – Musician

Amanda Irarrazabal – Musician

Ana Yebra – Musician

Andreas Levi – Musician

Anju – Musician

Antonio Duarte – Musician

Axel Olsson – Musician

Ben Glas – Composer

Brendan Mooney – Musician

Brian Eno – Musician

Bruce Reynolds – Musician

Caribou / Dan Snaith – Musician

Cassianne Lawrence – Musician

Charlie Clark – Manager

Charlie Sinclair – Session musician

Cheikh Sidi Bemol – Band

Chhavi nanda – DJ

Chris Klondike Masuak – Musician

Christian Øie – DJ/promoter

Christopher Somes-Charlton – Artist manager

Daisy (ohmydais) – DJ

Dante Boon – Musician

Dave Lippman – Musician

Dave Smith – Composer, performer

David Dugas Dion – Musician, producer

David Toub – Composer

David Zhou (Eastern Margins) – Manager

Don Wilkie – Record label owner

Downtown Boys – Band

Eden – Musician

Elias Gargallo Aguilella – Musician

Ellwood Epps – Musician

Em Foster – Musician

Ex Continent – Artist, musician

Eyal Vexler – Music promoter

Felicia Sjögren – Artist

Fernando José Pereira (Haarvöl) – Musician

Fortitude Valley – Band

Fortunato Durutti Marinetti – Musician

fotakis – Musician/DJ

frankie death – Musician

George Symeonidis – Composer, musician

Giancarlo – Park Hopper – Drummer

Gizem Altinordu – Musician

Gordon Moakes – Musician

Grove – Musician

Guilherme Darisbo – Musician, composer, improviser, recorder

Guillaume Mansour – Musician

harrsn – Musician

Heba Kadry – Mastering engineer

Heren Wolf – Musician

Ian Leinbaugh – Musician

Ine Geldermans – Programmer

Inez Carsauw – Classical singer

Irene Bindi – Artist (incl. sound)

Ivan Grünewald – Musician

Izaak Opatz – Musician

Jack Byrne – Musician

Jacqui Cornetta – Musician

Jared Doherty – Musician

Jay Cavalier – Musician

Jean Pierre Jammaers – Video Director

Jenny Berger Myhre – Musician

Jetsam – Band

Joseph Aquilina – Singer, songwriter, musician

Josey Rebelle – DJ

Josh Renaut – Visual production

Kamī/ŌKAMI – Musician, DJ

Katherine Kyu Hyeon Lim – Musician

Kim Oakley – Agent

Ky Brooks – Musician, sound engineer

Lara Aisha – Musician

Lara Ruggles – Songwriter, vocalist, musician

Laura Agnusdei – Composer

Laura Jane Wilkie – Musician, composer, curator

Leon Rosselson – Singer, guitarist, songwriter

Lisa Conway – musician

Lorenzo Setti – Musician, sound engineer, performer

Love Ssega – Musician

LVRA – Musician

Marie José Justamond – Festival founder and president

Martha – Band

Mat Callahan – Musician

Matthewdavid – Musician & Founder of Leaving Records

Mauro Pezzente – Musician, venue owner

Maxime Corbeil-Perron – Musician

Mega Bog – Musician

Megan Tinsley – Musician

Michael Diamond – Musician

Michael Parker – Musician

Michael Valenzuela (Her Motives Are Silent) – Artist, composer, producer

Michal Sapir – Musician

Michał Worgacz, Matragon – Musician

Michel Banabila – Musician

Michelle Thomas – Music publicist

Midland – DJ, producer

Mikus – Musician, producer, sound engineer

Minnie – Musician (formerly also band)

Mördare – Band

Mrs Frighthouse – Band

Nathy SG – Musician

Nennen – Musician

Nick Hon nmmyvh – Drummer, educator, singer, artist

Nightmärr – Band

Noam Viladoms – Musician

Ocean Moon – Musician

Olipra – Music producer

Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp – Band

Overdub Recordings – Label

Paige Kennedy – Artist

Paris Kyrtatas – Musician

Peach – DJ

pink suits – Band

pozzy – Artist

R Grunwald – Artist

Radwan Ghazi Moumneh – Artist

rags – Performer

Rainstick – Musician

Reem Kelani – Singer

Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe – Composer

Roberta De Renzio – Musician

Rose Asprey, Felicette – Musician

Roser PM – Musician

Roy Dodds – Musician

Rrose – Musician

Russell Mills – Artist, musician

Samir Eskanda – Musician

Sammy Clarke – Promoter

Samrai – Musician

Sarah Martinus – Sound artist, musician

Sarah Pagé – Musician

Sarah Wéry – Musician, composer

Sasha Frere-Jones – Writer, musician

Scalper – Artist

Shanti Celeste – DJ / Producer

SiP – Musician

Sirui Chang / Princess Xixi – Musician

SNÖHAMN – Band

Stella Le Page – Musician

Stéphanie Janaina – Audiovisual artist

taryn skye – Artist

the amazing Lorenzo Landini – Songwriter

THE CIDES – Band

The Venus Factory – Band

Theo Khoury (Descending Pharaohs) – Musician

Tim Lawrence / All Our Friends – Host/DJ

Titi Robin – Artist, musician

Tom Furse – Musician

Veronica Perrin – Musician

Violet Grohl – Musician

Wajdi Abou Diab – Composer

Wild Rani – Sound artist

Yasmine Diaz – Musician

Yosune – Singer, songwriter

Yumé NET – Musician

Zéa Calla – Singer, songwriter

Zosia Hołubowska – Musician