UMAW demands "Fair Pay and No Warmongers at SXSW" with week of protest events

AUSTIN, TX - United Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) has announced a protest rally, a panel, and a music showcase set for this week demanding Fair Pay and No Warmongers at SXSW.

UMAW's full calendar of 2026 events this week in Austin:

Fri, March 13, 11am - Protest rally demanding "Warmongers Out of Music!" at 11am outside of the SXSW Keynote speech from the new CEO of Spotify. JW Marriot, 110 E 2nd St, Austin, TX. Please sign up here so we can send you updates.

Sat, March 14, 3pm - A panel discussion about kicking the warmongers out of the music industry at 3pm at the Austin Liberation Center. Featuring panelists from UMAW, Palestinian Youth Movement, Austin for Palestine, and more. Full info here.

Sun, March 15, 8pm - Our Fair Pay at SXSW protest party at Hole in the Wall at 8pm. Free with required RSVP here.

UMAW first launched its “Fair Pay at SXSW” campaign in 2023, demanding raises for the musicians playing the festival. Following UMAW’s protests, SXSW agreed to raise artist pay for the first time in decades, increasing the rate for bands from $250 to $350, and solo artists from $100 to $150. It marked the first time in the modern music industry that artists successfully organized and won raises at a major festival.

UMAW again won pay raises in 2024, from $350 to $400 for bands, and $150 to $175 for solo artists. But the festival has refused to increase artist rates since then.

In 2024, UMAW also supported Austin for Palestine Coalition’s successful campaign demanding that the festival cut ties with the weapons industry. SXSW announced that it would drop the war industry, but the festival has remained closely connected with weapons companies, military tech companies, and branches of the U.S. military, largely through partnerships with Capital Factory.

Since SXSW has failed to raise payments for artists, and continues to work with war profiteers, UMAW is again demanding: “Fair Pay and No Warmongers at SXSW.”