Tramlines issues statement clarifying controversial ownership: “Such associations are directly in opposition to our ethos”
Sheffield-based festival Tramlines have issued a statement addressing its controversial owners, KKR.
The three-day event is the latest festival to issue a statement regarding KKR, following Mighty Hoopla, Field Day, Sónar Festival and Boiler Room. KKR became the parent company of Superstruct Entertainment after acquiring the company in a deal reportedly worth $1.3billion in 2024.
The statement, posted on Instagram on May 28th, began: “The team here at Tramlines has been following with horror the appalling situation in Gaza and the unconscionable treatment of its people by the government of Israel. The International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel is in breach of humanitarian laws including, plausibly, on genocide.”
The festival was clear in its stance on the conflict: “We would like to publicly add our voices to the calls for an immediate end to their military action, the unrestricted resumption of vital aid deliveries, and adherence to international law.”
After explaining the festival’s difficult position, whereby some fans may want more than just an open letter and some will think it’s a subject “outside our lane,” Tramlines called for “an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people and stand with those demanding their fair treatment as the starting point for long-term peace in the region.”
Superstruct became a partner of Tramlines in 2019. However, the letter stresses that the festival continues to “run Tramlines independently as we always have, making our own creative and commercial decisions, and they can offer help when we need it.”
Without naming KKR, Tramlines write clearly: “We recently found out that a fund that invested in Superstruct in 2024 has separate investments that have been criticised as unethical. We want to make it clear to everyone that such associations are directly in opposition to our ethos, aims, and values.”
In addition to Tramlines, Field Day, Boiler Room, and Sónar, Superstruct is also the owner of Sziget, Lost Village, Boardmasters, Bennicassim, Victorious Festival, Kendal Calling, Y Not, Flow Festival, Truck, Mighty Hoopla, and many more around Europe.
Tramlines has managed to stay out of the boycott firing line, while Field Day lost over a dozen acts from the line-up due to the Superstruct name. This was after an open letter accrued the signature of over 200 artists, calling for the festival to distance itself from the ownership. In this light, Tramlines’ open letter is somewhat unprompted, aiming to take ownership before the focus is cast upon the Sheffield festival. “We wanted you to hear about this from us first,” they explained.
Other open letters, such as the one from Mighty Hoopla, did not address the festival’s economic reality or the real on-the-ground consequences of KKR’s ownership. Put simply, it appears that the money the festival makes goes towards the arms trade in Israel, hence the impassioned call for change. However, Tramlines addressed this explicitly: ” It is important for us to be clear about where your money goes when you buy a ticket for Tramlines.”
The letter continues: “We can reassure you that your ticket pays for the festival and artists you love, the incredible staff and freelancers who put on the show every year and our Tramlines Trust community initiatives here in Sheffield. If there’s a profit, it remains entirely within Superstruct, for the development of their festivals and nothing else.”
Tramlines will take place from 25th to 27th July, and will see Pulp, Reytons, and Kasabian headline.
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