Traditional owners impacted by fracking projects in the Northern Territory have demanded the Darwin Festival drop their main sponsor, fossil fuel giant Santos.
Traditional owners have joined members of the Northern Territory's creative industries to oppose the Santos sponsorship.
More than 150 artists and creative producers have signed an open letter to festival organisers calling on them to take a leading role in climate action by abandoning sponsorships with fossil fuel companies.
Traditional owners criticise Santos
First Nations people and traditional owners of the Beetaloo Basin have criticised Santos' fracking operations for harming their land and disrupting their communities. The group also condemned the fossil fuel giant's funding of the Darwin Festival as an empty platitude designed to justify the continued destruction of their land.
Alawa woman and Nurrdalinji Native Title Aboriginal Corporation Director from Minyerri, south-east of Katherine, said her community was sick of Santos damaging their land.
"We want to stop Santos from supporting the festival. What they [Santos] do, is they give us sweet talk by supporting the festival so that we give them the okay to go on our land," said Ms Limmen.
"But, we don't want them to go on our land. What they're doing is they are damaging our land."
Gudanji-Wambaya man, leader and Chair of Nurrdalinji Aboriginal Corporation Johnny Wilson said Santos shouldn't use Darwin Festival to soften their image.
"Santos should no longer have an opportunity at the Darwin Festival to hide its true face," Mr Wilson said.
"Our hearts break when we see how fracking by Santos will ruin our land, water and songlines. Where is the future for our next generation?"
A spokesperson for Santos defended the company's sponsorship of the festival and outlined their commitment to action on climate change.
"Santos has been supporting the Darwin Festival since 1996. It is part of our commitment to support the communities where we live and work," the spokesperson said.
"Santos is a corporate leader in climate action with a clear climate transition action plan and a target of net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2040."
Organisers of the Darwin Festival were quick to defend their sponsorship ties.
"Darwin Festival's Board acknowledges receipt of the open letter and appreciates the concerns expressed therein," the festival organisers said.
"While there are already contractual commitments in place for this year's Festival, the board has met with representatives of the concerned artists and has agreed to meet with them again and other key stakeholders after this year's Festival to discuss its future funding options."
Community opposition to fracking
Community opposition to fracking in the Northern Territory has been loud.
A 2018 inquiry into hydraulic fracturing by the Northern Territory Government found that many Territorians did not support fracking.
The inquiry revealed through community consultation that Territorians were concerned about the shale gas industry's greenhouse gas emissions and contributions to climate change.
Territorians also questioned "whether shale gas was a 'cleaner' energy source, " arguing that "the NT should be focussing on developing renewable energy resources and not extracting additional fossil fuels".
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More recently, protesters in Katherine gathered outside a resources conference in May to voice their opposition to a keynote speech called "The potential of the Katherine & Barkly region for the oil and gas sector".
Earlier this month, traditional owners from the remote Tiwi Islands launched Federal Court action against Santos to stop developing a multi-billion-dollar gas project off the coast of Darwin.
In an open letter to Darwin Festival Board, artists and traditional owners said the festival was undermined by its continued partnership with Santos.
A spokesperson for Fossil Free Arts NT Anna Weekes said she loves the Darwin Festival but wants to ensure its values reflect the artists and communities it represents.
"Territory communities have been clear that gas fracking is unsafe and unwelcome," she said.
"We can no longer afford to expand dirty gas projects if we want to keep Territorians safe from climate change."
Last month, the Northern Territory Government approved four new fracking wells for Origin.
