Revellers are flocking to the city as its annual new music festival kicks off - but more than 100 artists have pulled out amid a boycott over the event's sponsors.

The Great Escape, which begins in Brighton today, still has hundreds of emerging musicians taking part in venues across the city.

But dozens of acts scheduled to perform over the four days have pulled out because of its sponsor Barclays.

The festival has come under fire for not cutting ties with the bank over its investment in companies which supply weaponry to Israel amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas.

Punk band The Menstrual Cramps previously said in a statement: "As a political punk band, we cannot be complicit in glorifying the industries that fund this violence."

More than half of the festival's line up, including the Lambrini Girls, Kneecap and Alfie Templeman signed an open letter calling on the festival to cut its ties with the bank.

Not all the artists who signed are boycotting the event. 

Massive Attack were not booked to play the festival but supported artists by also signing the letter. 

However, The Great Escape's beach venues are open as normal and events will still continue at Jubilee Square, Chalk and Komedia, among others.

It kicks off with some performances at Jubilee Square, though all five artists who were originally due to play the opening night have pulled out of the festival.

Headliner Faye Webster will still perform her "spotlight show" at the Dome on Friday night.

Other highlights include urban pop singer Chinchilla, who has 2.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify after her song Little Girl Gone went viral.

French-Cameroonian singer Yamê, real name Emmanuel Sow, will bring his soulful hip hop to The Arch on Friday.

In response to the boycott, activists in Brighton have organised an event called The Great Boycott.

It is happening over May 14 and 15 at the Gladstone Pub and on May 17 at Brighton Electric, both in Lewes Road, with performances from Milo Korbenski, Speelburg and J Felix.

The Great Escape organisers did not respond when contacted for comment.