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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Entertainment
Katie Cunningham

SXSW Sydney explained: how will the Austin festival work in Australia – and who is it for?

Tyler the Creator of Odd Future crowdsurfing at SxSW Austin in 2011
SXSW in Austin Texas is known for its unforgettable music sets – but tech will be the stronger stream in Sydney’s first year, running 15-22 October. Pictured: Tyler the Creator of Odd Future crowdsurfing at SXSW in 2011. Photograph: Roger Kisby/Getty Images

For 36 years, South by Southwest has been synonymous with one city: Austin, Texas. But this month the annual music, film and tech festival will launch a new event in Sydney – the first time it has been staged outside the US.

Running 15 to 22 October, the festival is being billed as “the official annual Asia-Pacific instalment of SXSW”. It’s a big win for a city that has faced its share of nightlife challenges in the past decade, especially given the prestige of the brand: the Austin festival is renowned as a breaking ground for new musicians, and a hub for film, tech and TV premieres, and has welcomed high-profile speakers from Prince to the Obamas across its three decades.

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