Sydney has become the first-ever host city of an annual South by Southwest (SXSW®) event outside Austin, Texas with the inaugural Asia Pacific edition of the iconic creative industries festival kicking off today.

From Sunday 15 October until Sunday 22 October, SXSW Sydney will feature more than 1,200 events and sessions, including a line-up of luminary speakers including Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman, Grammy-winning artist Chance The Rapper, creator of Black Mirror Charlie Brooker, filmmaker and director Baz Luhrmann, Australian actress Naomi Watts and many more.

Secured by the NSW Government through Destination NSW in partnership with TEG, SXSW has a remarkable track record of being the launchpad of what is next, famously providing a pitch platform for Uber and X (formerly known as Twitter), and the first global stage to a young Billie Eilish.

Now the event will take centre stage in New South Wales, showcasing Sydney as a hub for the creative industries in the Asia Pacific, bringing together creatives, tech pioneers, musicians and culture enthusiasts from across the region and beyond.

SXSW Sydney is a city-wide music festival, futurist think tank, a showcase of the latest games, alongside film and TV world premieres and next-gen technology expo. This one-of-a-kind event will take place at various locations in Sydney’s CBD, across Darling Harbour, Darling Quarter, Haymarket, Ultimo and Chippendale, activating a large number of venues throughout the city and supporting the entire ecosystem of Sydney’s visitor and night-time economy.

For more information about SXSW Sydney, visit sxswsydney.com

To plan your Sydney visit, head to sydney.com

Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said:

“Straight from Austin, Texas to Sydney, our city will be the centre of the music, screen, gaming and tech world this week as we welcome locals and visitors to enjoy the inaugural SXSW Sydney. I’m very pleased that people attending SXSW will have the chance to see Sydney at its best after dark, soaking up music, ideas, and culture.  It’s the first time this event is being held outside of its Texas origins.

“SXSW Sydney will be a game-changing event for NSW. It is just the beginning of an unrivalled cultural events calendar over the coming months showcasing Sydney’s local talent, creativity, culture and natural beauty that draws people in from across the country and around the world.”

Managing Director of SXSW Sydney Colin Daniels said:

"SXSW coming to Sydney is not just a remarkable milestone for the event, it’s monumental for the global creative community. Leaving Austin for the first time in its history, the launch of SXSW Sydney is a testament to the city’s vibrant ecosystem and its prominence on the global stage. SXSW Sydney promises to be a unique and unforgettable event for all participants, and we can’t wait to see you here.”

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MEDIA CONTACT

Jenna Whyte, Destination NSW
E: jenna.whyte@dnsw.com.au
P: 0484 719 536

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About SXSW®
SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of tech, film and television, music, education, and culture. An essential destination for global professionals, the annual March event features sessions, music, and comedy showcases, film and television screenings, exhibitions, professional development, and a variety of networking opportunities. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together. SXSW 2024 will take place March 8-16 in Austin. Learn more at sxsw.com.

About SXSW Sydney®
Futurist conference and festival, South by Southwest (SXSW) Sydney, will see the Asia-Pacific’s pre-eminent creative industries come together in the heart of Sydney Harbour. The event is a week-long program stacked with more than 1,000 ground-breaking events and networking sessions across pillars of Tech and Innovation, Games, Music, Screen and Culture.

Informed by a multicultural landscape and an enduring preservation of past, present and future Indigenous cultural heritage, Sydney offers a rich and exciting arts and culture scene with beautiful galleries, acclaimed theatres and burgeoning performance spaces.

About Destination NSW
Destination NSW is the lead agency, champion and voice for the visitor economy within the NSW Government. Spearheading a whole-of-government approach to visitor economy growth, Destination NSW is responsible for leading the delivery of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2030 in partnership with government and industry. Destination NSW influences and shapes the visitor economy through strategic research, policy and thought leadership, stakeholder engagement and consultation, commercial partnerships and investment in visitor experiences, business support, marketing and events. Destination NSW is also the major investor in Business Events Sydney (BESydney) for the purpose of securing more international and domestic conventions, incentive travel reward programs, corporate events and expos for Sydney and regional NSW.

About TEG
TEG is a global leader in Live Entertainment, Ticketing and Technology. Every day TEG connects fans to experiences and customers with brands. We are proud partners of some of the world’s largest and most iconic venues as well as leading event promoters globally. TEG operates worldwide out of seven country offices and includes Ticketek, Ticketek Marketplace, Ticketek UK, Ticketek New Zealand, Ticketek Malaysia, Ticketek Philippines, Eventopia, Softix, TEG Live, TEG Dainty, TEG Sport, TEG Van Egmond, Laneway Festival, Handsome Tours, SXSW Sydney, TEG Theatrical, MJR Presents, TEG Lifelike Touring, TEG TES Live, Brickman, TEG Rockefeller, Rugby Live, TEG Europe, Propaganda, TEG USA, Qudos Bank Arena, FAN+, VIP NOW and Ovation.