Art and arms trade

Today sees the launch of a campaign calling on the National Gallery to end its support for the arms trade. The gallery regularly hosts events for the arms industry, as a result of a sponsorship deal with global weapons manufacturer Finmeccanica. These events include receptions for the weapons fairs Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEi) and the Farnborough air show. Such arms fairs are a key part of the global arms trade, bringing authoritarian regimes and weapons manufacturers from around the world to the UK to do business. In 2010 Libya, China and Saudi Arabia were among the customers being courted at Farnborough. In 2011, Bahrain and Egypt were shopping at DSEi, even though both were using lethal force against protesters at the time. By entering into this deal the gallery not only provides a gloss of legitimacy for a reprehensible trade; it is also providing very practical support for the arms industry. How can an institution which celebrates the creative spirit of humanity open its door to those dealing in products designed to kill and destroy? We urge the gallery not to host a reception for the Farnborough air show in July and to end its sponsorship arrangement with Finmeccanica. Peter Kennard Artist Will Self Novelist and journalist Matthew Herbert Sound artist/composer Mark McGowan Artist and associate lecturer at Chelsea College of Art Lisa Wesley Artist Steve Duncombe Co-director, Center for Artistic Activism, New York Tim Jeeves Artist and writer Ian Mack Painter Leila Galloway Artist and senior lecturer, DMU Space Hijackers Artists Leah Borromeo Journalist and film-maker Brett Bloom Artist Hayley Newman Artist Brian Holmes Art critic Cecilia Wee Curator and writer Noel Douglas Artist David Caines Visual artist Nathan Witt RCA Sarah Waldron Campaign Against Arms Trade Stop the Arms Fair Coalition