Sydney is set to make history this month as it hosts the first-ever South by Southwest (SXSW) event outside the United States. Known globally for its influence on music, film, and technology, the festival will run from October 15 to 22, offering a diverse program of over 1,000 music gigs, film screenings, conference panels, and gaming and tech events.
While SXSW has been synonymous with Austin, Texas for 36 years, the decision to bring the festival to Sydney is seen as a strategic move to tap into the Asia-Pacific region. Organisers, including Chief Programming Officer Hugh Forrest, express excitement about the strong creative culture in Sydney and its status as a desirable tourist destination.
The Sydney edition of SXSW will mirror the blueprint of the Austin event with a few tweaks. The music program, for instance, will feature around 300 rising artists compared to Austin’s 1,500, showcasing a mix of international acts like Indonesia’s Feby Putri alongside homegrown talents such as the Terrys, Ben Lee, and Barkaa.
SXSW Sydney is also capitalising on the city’s robust tech industry, featuring a range of tech-focused events. The festival’s conference, the core of SXSW, will take place at venues including the ICC, UTS, and Powerhouse Museum, hosting more than 700 speakers discussing topics like artificial intelligence, environmentalism, and the future of tech.
However, the Sydney event has fewer big names and a higher ticket price compared to its Austin counterpart. With tickets priced at $330 for the music stream, $195 for games, and $280 for the screen, industry badges come at a hefty price of close to $1,900.
Industry experts anticipate that the festival will take some time for Sydney and its industries to fully understand the scale of the program. Larry Heath, associate producer at Sounds Australia, emphasises that despite the initial complexity, SXSW Sydney is a significant coup for the city, providing a unique opportunity for the creative world to focus on Sydney’s cultural and musical landscape.
For attendees seeking pleasure rather than industry engagement, the festival offers a roster of evening and weekend events, including music gigs, movie screenings, and gaming activations. Single-event tickets will be available closer to the event, and several free events at Tumbalong Park will include live music and screenings of cult classic films.
As Sydney opens its arms to this iconic festival, expectations are high for SXSW Sydney to be a turning point for the city’s cultural and musical scene, providing a platform for collaborations, deals, and partnerships to flourish. Whether it’s for industry professionals or pleasure-seeking enthusiasts, the debut of SXSW in Sydney promises a unique and exciting experience for all attendees.
