For the first time since it was founded in 1987, the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival is expanding its horizons beyond its home base in Austin, Texas. The multi-day event — famous for celebrating tech, film, music, education and culture — is coming Down Under in 2023 to showcase the best of the Asia-Pacific region.
As the arts and culture scenes in Australia and surrounding countries pick up momentum following the pandemic, SXSW Sydney aims to bring together creators, thought leaders and creatives for what's ultimately an expo, showcase, festival and conference all in one.
In its 36-year history, SXSW has helped give a platform to many women and gender-diverse people in creative fields. The event prides itself on being a safe space for experimentation, sharing of ideas and networking, and that's why so many established and budding artists have been involved with it over the years. Examples include M.I.A. in 2005 and Janelle Monae in 2009 at relatively earlier stages in their career, as well as British YouTube sensation Maisie Peters and Tamil-Swisse singer Priya Ragu in more recent years.
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With the focus turned to the Asia-Pacific region, we can expect an exciting lineup of new and familiar voices at SXSW Sydney that will inspire and entertain come October this year. So, here's a rundown of everything you need to know about the event.
When Is SXSW Sydney?
SXSW Sydney 2023 will be running from Sunday, October 15 to Sunday, October 22.
Where Is SXSW Sydney Being Held?
The various events of SXSW will be spread throughout the Sydney CBD and surrounding neighbourhoods. You can expect festivals, performances, premieres, exhibitions and meet-ups across Haymarket, Darling Harbour, Ultimo and Chippendale, with prime venues including the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Powerhouse Museum and the International Convention & Exhibition Centre (ICC Sydney).
What Are The Main SXSW Sydney Events?
There will be more than 400 keynotes, presentations, panels, workshops and mentor sessions over the course of the week, including these key events announced so far:
— SXSW Sydney Technology & Innovation Exhibitions
— Startup Village
— SXSW Sydney 2023 Music Festival
— SXSW Sydney Screen Festival
— SXSW Sydney Gaming Festival
Who Is Speaking At SXSW Sydney?
The lineup of speakers announced so far includes Amy Webb, Manal Al-Sharif, Larissa Behrendy, Que Minh Luu, Sheila Nguyen, Andrew Pask, Ben Lamm, Guy Kawasaki, Jack Reise, Kyas Hepworth, Michael J. Biercuk, Per Sundin, Robyn Denholm, Rohit Bhargava, Sam Barlow, Sean Miyashiro, Sung-Eun Youn, Tom Verrilli, Yiying Lu and Yoomin Yang.
Who Is Performing At SXSW Sydney?
Music artists that have been unveiled so far include Connie Constance, Ekkstacy, Los Bitchos, Otoboke Beaver and redveil.
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