Submissions Opening 28th October for SXSW London Programming

Bold, Inspiring Vision for Festival Programming Unveiled Providing a Global Platform for Maverick Thinking and Unconventional Ideas

LONDON – 21 OCTOBER 2024 – SXSW London today announced it will begin accepting submissions on 28 October for session proposals across its Conference, Music, and Screen verticals. Artists, performers, thought leaders, community representatives and industry professionals are encouraged to submit their bold and unexpected ideas for the inaugural 2025 Conference via the SXSW London submission portal.

Integral to the SXSW London vision is the central philosophy of open submissions – creating an inclusive programme of diverse voices with public involvement. Submissions for the Conference Programme will close on 29 November, and then from 9-17 December the community will be able to view and vote for sessions they want to see in the vertical. Submissions for Music and Screen will close in January 2025.

Programme Vision

Along with submissions, SXSW London also announced its programming vision for the week-long festival, which was inspired by the key themes of convergence and unexpected discovery. The intersection of Conference, Music, Screen, and Visual Arts & Fashion provides a unique environment for imaginative and innovative content. Detailed programming will be announced in the coming months, surveying the convergence of all art forms at a grassroots level.

Conference

The worlds of technology, business, society, music, screen and more will be reflected in SXSW London’s wide ranging Conference programming with 23 tracks across four broad categories: Technology, Society, Culture & Creative, and Business. The Conference Programme will be comprised of over 400 sessions across four days in a mix of formats ranging from keynotes and presentations to mentor hours, meet-ups and book readings.

SXSW London invites thought leaders, mavericks and experts to share insights and foster debate - converging tech, innovation and creativity to forge meaningful connections. The Conference Programme will also feature a dynamic Pitch Competition for companies from around the world to compete and showcase their leading tech and business innovations.

Music

SXSW London’s Music Programme will feature cutting-edge music, culture and creativity from London, Europe and beyond. 78 individual events across 20 music venues are being planned, offering more than 600 individual performances. The main music hubs will include Shoreditch Town Hall, Village Underground and 93 East as well as many smaller, grassroots venues.

The adventurous Music Programme will spotlight international music scenes that transform the culture of their communities through the lens of London and focus on what’s new and what’s next - highlighting iconic moments where music and technology collide with culture coming from diasporic communities and underground movements.

Screen

The Screen Programme will incorporate the best parts of SXSW and infuse it with a brand new, distinctively European and uniquely London flavour. With over 250 sessions featuring 80-90 international premiers, the Screen Programme will feature a heavy European focus pulling in UK premieres from neighbouring countries.

The Screen Programme will be imbued with the transgressive, boundary-pushing and creative force that East London has become globally known for.

Visual Arts & Fashion

The Visual Arts & Fashion Programme will reflect London’s position as a centre of creative excellence, celebrating the convergence of art forms– visual art, performance, fashion, sound, moving image and technology. There will be unexpected bespoke and never-before-seen projects from internationally renowned artists and local emerging talents.

SXSW London provides a global platform for creative and innovative voices to showcase their unconventional and alluring talents. Convergence in tech and creativity is often where we see the most exciting discoveries emerge, and we can’t wait to see the submissions we’ll receive for this theme. Today marks an exciting step closer to our inaugural festival in Shoreditch in June 2025.

Katy Arnander

Director of Programming for SXSW London

Coming to Shoreditch from 2-7 June 2025, SXSW London will be one of the biggest events on the creative and tech calendar with its own distinctive personality and is set to become the ultimate platform for creative discovery and artistic convergence across Europe.

Building on the legacy of SXSW in Austin, SXSW London invigorates the festival in a new setting, brought by a team of experts in event management, music programming, and creative direction. The driving force behind SXSW London is the convergence of technology, art and business. The London edition of the festival will feature entirely new areas of programming that are authentic to British and European culture.

For more information and to access the session submission portal, please visit: sxswlondon.com

ENDS

+++ Notes to Editors +++

Contact: sxswlondon@freuds.com

About SXSW London SXSW

A global platform celebrating the convergence of creativity, culture and innovation, SXSW’s inaugural European edition SXSW London builds on the brand’s decades of success in Austin and now Sydney.

Between June 2 ^nd - 7 ^th 2025, SXSW London will take over dozens of venues, galleries, clubs and spaces around Shoreditch in east London, including many independent and community-led spaces. In addition to the inspiring keynotes, music showcases, and innovations in tech, gaming and screen that fans have come to expect from SXSW, SXSW London will introduce new arts and culture programming in a first for the brand globally. SXSW London will also feature a particular focus on creative sectors and talent from across Europe.

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 opportunities to meet and connect with people. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and individuals come together. SXSW 2025 will take place March 7–15 in Austin. Learn more at sxsw.com. To register for the event, please visit sxsw.com/attend.

SXSW’s expansion into the Asia Pacific region, with SXSW Sydney starting in 2023 and Europe with SXSW London in 2025, provides new possibilities at this iconic experience. These events, each with their own distinct flavor, make South By an indispensable three-stop tour for the global creative community.