On May 26, Art Not Arms posted an open letter to Kings Place, the London classical music venue and conference center, that called for the cancellation of the upcoming Defence in Space Conference in October. This conference is sponsored by arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The open letter noted that Lockheed Martin is involved in the production of F-35 fighter jets currently being used by the Israeli military in Gaza. This includes a jet confirmed to be involved in the killing of 90 Palestinians, in a July 2024 attack on the designated safe zone of Al-Mawasi in Khan Younis.
A Question of Endorsement
As Kings Place faces criticism over hosting a Lockheed Martin-sponsored conference, its artistic program claims a separation from its commercial wing. But how independent are those operations, and how robust is Kings Place’s new ethics policy?
