Jyoty and Manuka Honey withdraw from Berlin's CTM festival

Jyoty and Manuka Honey have cancelled their appearances at this year's CTM festival in Berlin, as part of the ongoing cultural strike, Strike Germany.

Announced via a statement on Ravers For Palestine's Instagram page, the two artists join 850+ artists and cultural workers to boycott German state-funded cultural institutions in response to the "intensifying crackdown" on those expressing solidarity with "Palestinians facing genocide in Gaza."

"Leading international DJs Manuka Honey and Jyoty have announced their withdrawal from the 2024 CTM festival in Berlin," the statement reads, adding that "more artists are expected to follow suit."

Both artists had been scheduled to make appearances at the Berlin-based festival at the end of this month, with high profile slots at Berghain on January 26.

The festival is set to hold a series of events at the Kreuzberg nightclub across its eight-day run, as well as silent green, OXI, RSO.Berlin and more.

Ravers For Palestine continued their statement by calling on all "DJs and international artists scheduled to play at CTM" to withdraw their participation in the festival in solidarity with German cultural sector workers.

The Berlin senate recently passed a requirement to agree to the "controversial" IHRA definition of anti-semitism in order to be granted arts funding. The move has been criticised by both German and international campaigners, claiming that it hinders "artistic freedom"; over 4,000 artists have signed a petition against the requirement

CTM shared its "regret" over Jyoty and Manuka Honey's withdrawal fro m the festival in a statement posted on its website, writing: "CTM Festival respects the artists' decisions, and we are in contact with them and their respective teams."

"We remain steadfast in our support of artistic freedom and dialogue. We are actively engaging in many conversations at the moment, and are committed to continuing these exchanges."

"As a music festival we believe that art and culture provide valuable spaces for encounters and reflection, and remain dedicated to keeping such spaces open to discuss and negotiate our differences with mutual respect," the statement continues.

CTM also published a separate statement in regards to the introduction of culture funding stipulations, insisting it shares the "worries and concerns" expressed by the city's cultural institutions against the "massive intervention in the freedom of the arts" from the Berlin Senate for Culture in regards to the anti-discrimination clause.

"We therefore reject this clause in its current form, and emphatically endorse the appeal of the aforementioned groups and initiatives."

While CTM operates as a non-for-profit, independent organisation, it is a receptitent of arts funding from the Berlin Senate of Culture - with the festival having been awarded with a four year funding commitment from the government body last year.

New York's dweller festival also shared that it will not be holding an event in Berlin this year as part of Strike Germany, writing on Twitter: "We will not be hosting an edition of Dweller in Berlin this year."

"We made this decision a while ago due to the way German institutions were treating those opposing the current genocide in Palestine, it’s now reached an absurd level of control."

Last year Ravers For Palestine issued an open letter, signed by 300 DJs, producers and collectives to “urgently speak out against Israel’s brutal and ongoing attack on Gaza." You can read it here.

Update: January 15 - Kampire has now pulled out from CTM's line-up, explaining: "Because of the current climate of repression in Germany I no longer feel comfortable [performing]". Scratchclart also withdrew his name from the line-up, saying that he made the decision after researching and speaking to friends and family. Read their statements below.

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on Twitter