History of SXSW

Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW has emerged as the premier destination for creatives across the globe. Travel back to its origin and flip through the years of speakers, artists, filmmakers, and more in our interactive history timeline.

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Governor Ann Richards and the SXSW Directors at SXSW 1993. Photo by Theresa Dimenno.

History Intro

 

In 1986, Ronald Reagan was president. "Electronic mail" was used primarily by universities and the military. The Berlin Wall was standing. The Euro did not exist. Many phones used rotary dials to enter numbers. An Apple Macintosh computer with 128 kilobytes of RAM sold for $5,500 (in 2015 dollars). 40 million music CDs were made and sold worldwide.

That same year, a small group of people in Austin, Texas began a series of long discussions about the future of entertainment and media. The meetings were in the offices of The Austin Chronicle, and participants were sworn to secrecy. A fundamental opinion shared by the group was that the local creative and music communities were as talented as anywhere else on the planet, but were severely limited by a lack of exposure outside of Austin.

Music was the uniting factor, but the group had a catholic taste for art and ideas. Inclusiveness and reaching for new things were core values. The solution being discussed was an event that would bring the outside world to Austin for a close-up view.

As the key ideas were formed, recognition grew that Austin was not the only city where this was an issue. For a local event to bring the world to Austin, it needed to have value everywhere. A name was sought that was not restrictive in its concept.

Finally, in October of 1986, the announcement of the first South By Southwest was made. The SXSW group expected initial resistance from the locals, but it was quite the opposite. Almost everyone wanted to be involved. Resistance would come later.

The first event, held in March of 1987, saw an expected 150 registrants swell to 700 on the opening day. As hoped for, Austin’s charm won over the visitors, and SXSW took on a life of its own.

Growth was steady for the first seven years. For SXSW ’94, often remembered for the Johnny Cash keynote/performance, two new events - Interactive and Film - were introduced. It would mark a fundamental shift in how the world viewed SXSW. Still early in the paradigm shift created by the internet, the film and digital communities found a home in SXSW.

The event has changed in many surprising and meaningful ways since 1987, but at its core, SXSW remains a tool for creative people to develop their careers by bringing together people from around the globe to meet, learn and share ideas. (And maybe have a few once-in-a-lifetime experiences.)

- Roland Swenson, CEO of SXSW

History

History

Huey Meaux and Doug Sahm
1987
Huey Meaux and Doug Sahm

First Music Keynote Speaker: Huey Meaux

15 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Jody Denberg, Jim Dickinson, Kevin Wommack, Joe Nick Patoski, Kim Buie, Mark Josephson, Ernie Gammage, Jeff Whittington

Huey Meaux and Doug Sahm. Photo by Martha Grenon.

1987
1987 SXSW Music Festival Schedule

Inaugural Music Festival: 177 Artists & 15 Stages

Notable Showcasing Artists: Reverend Horton Heat (Dallas TX), King’s X (Houston TX), Little Joe y la Familia (Temple TX), Bad Mutha Goose (Austin TX), Butch Hancock & Jimmie Gilmore (Austin TX), Dash Rip Rock (New Orleans LA), Lonesome Strangers (Los Angeles CA)

1988
Bob Guccione Jr.

Keynote: Bob Guccione Jr. (SPIN Magazine)

32 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Frank Riley (Venture Booking), Terry Lickona (Austin City Limits), Mark Williams (Virgin Records), Dave Margulies (CMJ), Jefferson Holt (R.E.M. manager), Cary Baker (IRS Records publicist), Joe McEwen (CBS Records), Joel Webber (Island Records)

1988
True Believers

415 Showcasing Artists & 27 Stages

Notable Showcasing Artists: Kelly Willis (Washington DC), American Music Club (San Francisco CA), Billy Ray Cyrus (Nashville TN), Poi Dog Pondering (Austin TX), Material Issue (Chicago IL), Jayhawks (Minneapolis MN), Ten Hands (Dallas TX), Dangerous Toys (Austin TX), Robert Earl Keen (Austin TX)

1989
Miles Zuniga, Bill David, Mojo Nixon & Ricky Gelb at SXSW 1989.

349 Showcasing Artists: Gin Blossoms, Mojo Nixon & Ricky Gelb, Miles Zuniga & More

26 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: Doug Sahm (San Antonio TX), Alex Chilton (Memphis TN), Alejandro Escovedo (Austin TX), Gin Blossoms (Scottsdale AZ), Toni Price (Nashville TN), Giant Sand (Tucson AZ), Sara Hickman (Dallas TX), Walter Hyatt & Champ Hood (Austin TX), Ray Wylie Hubbard (Austin TX), Marcia Ball Band (Austin TX), Lucinda Williams (Los Angeles CA), Miles Zuniga (Austin TX), Rhett Miller (Dallas TX), Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper (San Diego CA), Timbuk 3 (Austin TX), Tracy Santa (Berlin WEST GERMANY), Justice Hahn (Berlin WEST GERMANY)

1989
Robert Christgau at SXSW 1989. Photographer unknown.

SXSW 1989 Keynote Speaker: Robert Christgau (Village Voice rock critic)

39 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Larry Hamby (CBS Nashville), Jay Boberg (IRS Records), Guy Clark (Texas songwriting legend), Ken Irwin (Rounder Records founder), Elliott Mazer (Neil Young producer), Rosemary Carroll (Kurt Cobain & Courtney Love attorney), John Kunz (Waterloo Records owner), Mark Proct (Fabulous Thunderbirds manager), Bill Wyman (Chicago Reader journalist), Wolfgang Doebeling (Berlin Independence Days), Geoff Travis (Rough Trade Records)

1990
Kinky Friedman at SXSW 1990

Keynote Speaker: Kinky Friedman

Notable Speakers: Tony Brown (MCA Records), Robert Palmer (The New York Times), Jonathan Poneman (Sub Pop Records), Jack Emerson (Jason & the Scorchers manager), Buck Williams (FBI Booking), Nigel Grainge (Ensign Records), Radney Foster & Bill Lloyd (hit country songwriters), Paige Levy (Warner Bros. Nashville), Clifford Antone (Antone’s), Robbie Robb (Tribe After Tribe), Carol Schutzbank (B-Side magazine), Bob Johnston (producer)

1990
Mano Negra at SXSW 1990

424 Showcasing Artists & 23 Stages | First Hip-Hop Showcases at SXSW

Notable Showcasing Artists: Joe “King” Carrasco (Austin TX), Vic Chesnutt (Athens GA), Del-Lords (New York NY), Big Head Todd & the Monsters (Denver CO), Let’s Active (Winston Salem NC), Trip Shakespeare (Minneapolis MN), Jon Ims (Denver CO), Blake Babies (Boston MA), Ultramagnetic MC’s (New York NY), Def IV (Houston TX), Ed Hall (Austin TX), The Grey Ghost (Austin TX), Townes Van Zandt (Nashville TN), Mano Negra (Paris FRANCE)

1991
Jimmie Vaughan & Joe Ely at SXSW 1991

Dixie Chicks, Guy Clark, Barenaked Ladies & More SXSW 1991 Showcasing Artists

512 Showcasing Artists & 27 Stages & Venues | Notable Showcasing Artists: Dixie Chicks (Dallas TX), Bob Mould (Brooklyn NY), David Ball (Nashville TN), Spanic Boys (Milwaukee WI), Uncle Tupelo (Belleville IL), Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ (Atlanta GA), Barenaked Ladies (Toronto CANADA), Pariah (Austin TX), Kolumbus Kris (Estonia USSR), Texas Tornados (San Antonio TX), Shoulders (Austin TX), Guy Clark (Monahans TX), Two Nice Girls (Austin TX), Bela Fleck & the Flecktones (Nashville TN), Southern Culture on the Skids (Chapel Hill NC)

1991
Rosanne Cash at SXSW 1991

Keynote Speaker: Rosanne Cash (chart-topping country artist)

84 Panels, Sessions & Workshops | Notable Speakers: Mike Greene (NARAS), David Bither (Elektra Records), David Fricke (Rolling Stone), Bill Bentley (Warner Bros. Records), Rufus Thomas (pioneering Memphis artist), Moira McCormick (Billboard), Barry Poss (Sugar Hill Records), Dennis Constantine (KBCO-Boulder), Mirko Whitfield (Deutsche Schallplatten), Shannon Vale (Benson/Vale Management), Hugo Burnham (Imago Records), Sims Ellison (metal band Pariah)

1992
Michelle Shocked at SXSW 1992

Keynote: Michelle Shocked

Notable Speakers: Henry Root (attorney), Casey Monahan (Texas Music Office), Gary Stewart (Rhino Records), Charles Shaar Murray (English journalist), Bernie Leadon (Eagles), Greg Ginn (SST Records), Ken Levitan (Vector Management), Rick Gershon (A&M Records), Gary Smith (Pollstar), Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers), Richard Linklater (filmmaker)

1992
Little Village at SXSW 1992

First Outdoor Stage Performance

Notable Showcasing Artists: Willie Nelson (Austin TX), T Bone Burnett (Fort Worth TX), Helmet (New York NY), L7 (Los Angeles CA), Limpopo (Moscow RUSSIA), Bruce Robison (Austin TX), Little Village (Los Angeles CA), Delaney Bramlett (Los Angeles CA), Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet (Toronto CANADA), Paw (Lawrence KS), The Beat Farmers (San Diego CA), Cracker (Redlands CA) Dave Alvin (Los Angeles CA), The Toadies (Dallas TX)

1993
Governor Ann Richards and the SXSW Directors at SXSW 1993. Photo by Theresa Dimenno.

Keynote Speaker: Ann Richards (Governor of Texas, 1991-1995) | First Year of conference programming in Austin Convention Center

81 Panels, Sessions & Workshops | Notable Speakers: Tony Brown (MCA Records), Joe Boyd (Hannibal/Ryko), Frank Riley (Monterey Peninsula Artists), Lisa Shively (The Press Network), Keith Moerer (Request magazine), Exene Cervenka (X), Jon Kertzer (Microsoft), Ruben Ramos (Tejano musician), Elliot Cahn (manager), Faith Henschel (Elektra Records), Donald Passman (attorney), Stephen Bruton (producer)

1993
Roky Erickson at SXSW 1993

468 Showcasing Artists including Lisa Loeb, Everclear & Roky Erickson

Notable Showcasing Artists: Lisa Loeb (New York NY), Meat Puppets (Phoenix AZ), Everclear (Portland OR), Toadies (Dallas TX), Roky Erickson (Austin TX), Robyn Hitchcock (Los Angeles CA), Blue Rodeo (Toronto CANADA), Freedy Johnston (Lawrence KS), R.L. Burnside (Oxford MS), Grant Lee Buffalo (Los Angeles CA), Chris Whitley (New York NY), Pete Droge (Seattle WA), Love Battery (Seattle WA), Kevin Welch (Nashville TN), Cindy Bullens (Chicago IL), Cherubs (Austin TX)

1994
Flaco Jimenez at SXSW 1994

Ben Harper, Flaco Jimenez, Beck & More SXSW 1994 Showcasing Artists

482 Showcasing Artists & 30 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: Rodney Crowell (Nashville TN), The Mavericks (Nashville TN), Flaco Jimenez (Austin TX), Johnny Cash (Nashville TN), Beck (Los Angeles CA), Veruca Salt (Chicago IL), Mojo Nixon & the Toadliquors with Jello Biafra (San Diego CA), Charlie Sexton (Austin TX), Carolyn Wonderland & the Imperial Monkeys (Houston TX), Sir Douglas Quintet (Austin TX), Hanson (Tulsa OK), Ben Harper (Claremont CA), Toad the Wet Sprocket (Santa Barbara CA)

1994
SXSW 1994 Poster

Inaugural Film & Interactive | Keynote: Richard Garriott

The inaugural offering features eight panel sessions with 36 total speakers and two world premieres and is called the SXSW Film and Media Conference (SFMC). Notable Speakers: Jim Butler (Texas Governor’s Office of MF&TV), Dallas Snell (ORIGIN), George Cummings (AVCA), Gary Gattis (Human Code), Debby Kalk (Cortex Communications Inc), Pam Knight (ISIS Multi-Media)

1994
Johnny Cash at SXSW 1994

Music Keynote: Johnny Cash

Notable Speakers: Teresa Ensenat (A&M Records), Jackson Haring (manager), Bushwick Bill (Geto Boys), Jello Biafra (Alternative Tentacles), Tom Zutaut (Geffen Records), Steve Berlin (Los Lobos/producer), Liz Garo (Restless Records), Kid Leo (Columbia Records), Ben Vaughn (musician/producer), Erik Flannigan (ICE Newsletter), Bill Narum (graphic artist), Wiley Wiggins (actor), Marilyn Manson (musician)

1995
Bob Mould at SXSW 1995

Music Keynote Speaker: Bob Mould (leader of iconic ’80s trio Husker Du)

68 Panels, Sessions & Workshops | Notable Speakers: Ian Copeland (Frontier Booking), Susan Silver (manager), Al Kooper (musician), Bill Holdship (BAM Magazine), Brett Gurewitz (Epitaph Records), Rob Bleetstein (Gavin Report), Matthew Sweet (musician), Frank Callari (manager), Michael Gallelli (Private Music), Michael Morales (musician), Peter Jenner (manager)

1995
SXSW 1995 Brochure

467 Showcasing Artists: Cake, Soul Asylum, Todd Snider & More

35 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: Cake (Oakland CA), Guided By Voices (Dayton OH), Billy Joe Shaver (Nashville TN), Blues Traveler (New York NY), Yo La Tengo (Hoboken NJ), Ian McLagan & Monkeyjump (Austin TX), Irma Thomas (New Orleans LA), Rebirth Brass Band (New Orleans LA), Soul Asylum (Minneapolis MN), Wilco (Chicago IL), The Presidents of the United States of America (Seattle WA), Ani DiFranco (New York NY), Squirrel Nut Zippers (Chapel Hill NC), Victoria Williams (Los Angeles CA), Little Milton (Chicago IL), Sixteen Deluxe (Austin TX), Todd Snider (Memphis TN)

1995
Richard Linklater at SXSW in 1994.

SXSW Film and Media Conference splits into two separate events

SXSW Film World premiere films included: The Return Of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, A More Perfect Union, The Man With The Perfect Swing and The Underneath, while conference programming was highlighting by speakers Robert Rodriguez and Richard Linklater.

1995
Todd Rundgren at SXSW 1995. Photo by George R. Brainard.

Inaugural SXSW Interactive | Keynotes: Todd Rundgren (musician), Richard Garriott (video game developer, astronaut & entrepreneur)

Notable Speakers Melinda Price (Monsterbit Media), Debbie Richards (ANIMATRIX Computer Arts), Mark Rolston (Virtual Studio), Joseph C. Aragona (Austin Ventures), Nicholas Butterworth (SonicNet), Dave Evans (Digital Voodoo), Joel Greenberg (Multimedia Developer) Notable Sessions: 3D World; The Internet and Online Music

1996
Fugees at SXSW 1996

664 Showcasing Artists Including Iggy Pop, Fastball, Blink-182, Spoon & More

41 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: Iggy Pop (Ann Arbor MI), Fugees (East Orange NJ), George Clinton & the P-Funk All Stars featuring Parliament & Funkadelic, Fastball (Austin TX), Joan Osborne (New York NY), Golden Smog (Minneapolis MN), Whiskeytown (Ryan Adams) (Raleigh NC), Old 97’s (Dallas TX), Spoon (Austin TX), Liz Phair (Chicago IL), Blink-182 (San Diego CA), Ron Sexsmith (Toronto CANADA), Wayne Kramer (Los Angeles CA), Ben Folds Five (Chapel Hill NC), Plimsouls (Los Angeles CA), The Gourds (Austin TX) Milestones & Highlights: First annual Japan Nite Showcase

1996
Krist Novoselic at SXSW 1996

Music Keynote Speaker: Krist Novoselic (former Nirvana bassist)

60 Panels, Sessions & Workshops | Notable Speakers: Allen Toussaint (musician/producer), Anthony DeCurtis (VH1), Arthur Brown (musician), Brendan O’Brien (producer), Vic Chesnutt (musician), Paul Williams (Crawdaddy), Greg Sowders (Sweet Relief), Craig Stewart (Trance Syndicate), Chris Willman (Entertainment Weekly), Grant Alden (No Depression), Eddie Gomez (Bug Music), Kim Fowley (producer)

1996
SXSW 1996 Poster

SXSW Film

Sterling’s gold: In Dante Harper’s Delicate Art of the Rifle, Bruce Sterling plays a “Non-Linear Weatherman” who tries to impart the complex, unpredictable and chaotic nature of weather, while John Sayles treats SXSW Film to a sneak preview/world premiere of Lone Star.

1996
SXSW 1996 Brochure

Interactive Keynotes: Hal Josephson (MediaSense) & Bruce Sterling (author)

Notable Speakers: Jim Hightower (Hightower & Associates), Bill Narum (Go-Go Studios), Tim Nye (Sunshine Interactive Network), Josh Pearson (Emergency Broadcast Network), Paul Pugh (Texas Monthly), Andrew Rasiej (Macintosh New York Music Festival), George Sanger (Team Fat) Notable Sessions: 3D Shoot Out; Marketing to the Interactive Channel; Gaming and Gaming Development

1997
Carl Perkins at SXSW 1997

Carl Perkins, Tony Bennett, Jimmy Eat World & More SXSW Showcasing Artists

788 Showcasing Artists & 40 Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: Carl Perkins (Nashville TN), Tony Bennett (New York NY), Jazz Passengers (featuring Debbie Harry) (New York NY), Wayne Coyne (Flaming Lips Parking Lot Experiment #4), of Montreal (Athens GA), Jonny Lang (Minneapolis MN), Buddy & Julie Miller (Nashville TN), Jimmy Eat World (Mesa AZ), Less Than Jake (Gainesville FL), Abra Moore (Austin TX), Derailers (Austin TX)

1997
SXSW 1997 Poster

Music Keynote: Carl Perkins (preceded by a DJ set from GusGus)

Notable Speakers: Tony Bennett (“Celebrity Interview”), Cameron Randle (Arista Records Austin), Jeff Kwatinetz (then at Gallin Morey Associates, but about to found The Firm), George Huang (film director), Matt Pinfield (MTV), Moby (on “New Wave of Electronica” panel), Dr. John Hipple (Texas Center for Music and Medicine, University of North Texas)

1997
Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino & Richard Linklater at SXSW Film 1997

Mike Judge, Richard Linklater & Quentin Tarantino at SXSW Film

Notable Speakers: George Huang, Mike Judge, Richard Linklater, Robert Rodriguez, Kevin Smith, Steven Soderbergh, Quentin Tarantino – all on the same panel! World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: Full Tilt Boogie (Sarah Kelly), Purgatory County (George Ratliff), Still Breathing (James F. Robinson), Traveller (Jack Green). Memorable Film Festival Screenings: Chasing Amy (Kevin Smith), Mary Jane’s Not a Virgin Anymore (Sarah Jacobson), Schizopolis (Steven Soderbergh). Notable Talent: Sandra Bullock, Brendan Fraser, Julianna Margulies, Bill Paxton, Kevin Smith, Quentin Tarantino, Forest Whitaker

1997
Jonathan Demme at SXSW Film 1997

Keynotes Thomas Dolby (musician) & Jaron Lanier (computer scientist / father of virtual reality) at SXSW Interactive

Notable Speakers: Mark Hosler (Negativland), Andrew Busey (ichat), Charles Ostman (Mondo 2000), Mark Pauline (Survival Research Laboratories), Chris Romero (Radical Media), Douglas Rushkoff (Author). Notable Sessions: Online Communities; Artificial Agents; Global Pillage

1998
SXSW November 1998 Brochure

Total Film submissions grow from 638 to 1015

Notable Speakers: Elizabeth Avellan, Jason Blum, Atom Egoyan, Trevor Groth, Bob Hawk, Lisa Heller, Mike Judge, Scott Macauley, Charlotte Mickie, Mark Mothersbaugh, Todd Phillips, John Pierson. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: American Cowboy (Kyle Henry), Dancer, Texas Pop. 81 (Tim McCanlies), Letters Not About Love (Jackie Ochs), Men Cry Bullets (Tamara Hernandez), The Newton Boys (Richard Linklater), Olympia (Bob Byington). Notable Talent: Sandra Bullock, Mike Judge, Matthew McConaughey, Michael Moore

1998
Nick Lowe at SXSW 1998

Music Keynote Speaker: Nick Lowe

63 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Dust Brothers (producers), Gary Gersh (Capitol Records), Neil Strauss (The New York Times), Lloyd Doggett (U.S. congressman), Jonathan Demme (film director), Tony Wilson (In The City festival), Ray Wylie Hubbard (musician)

1998
SXSW January 1998 Brochure

Interactive Keynotes: Howard Rheingold (author), Steven Johnson (FEED), Richard Grimes (Cool Site of the Day) & Chipp Walters (Human Code)

Notable Speakers: Po Bronson (author), Lance Arthur (Database Technologies), Bob Sabiston (MTV Animation), Jodi Sax (lawgirl.com), Jen Scoville (Texas Monthly), Jack Shafer (Slate), Warren Spector (Ion Storm), Heidi Swanson (ChickClick), Stefanie Syman (FEED), Richard Grimes (Cool Site of the Day), Carl Steadman (freedonia.com). Notable Sessions: Design Technique; Digital Animation Technique; Copyright 101

1998
Buddy Guy at SXSW 1998

834 Showcasing Artists: Black Eyed Peas, Sonic Youth, Buddy Guy & More

Notable Showcasing Artists: Sonic Youth (New York NY), Buddy Guy (Chicago IL), Black Eyed Peas (Los Angeles CA), Rufus Wainwright (Montreal CANADA), …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead (Austin TX), Ian McLagan & the Bump Band (Austin TX), Sean Lennon (New York NY), Billy Bragg (London UK), Queens of the Stone Age (Joshua Tree CA), Turbonegro (Oslo NORWAY), Handsome Boy Modeling School (San Francisco CA), Calexico (Tucson AZ), Semisonic (Minneapolis MN), Neko Case & The Sadies (Vancouver CANADA), Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire (Chicago IL), Reckless Kelly (Austin TX). Milestones: Native American Night Showcase

1999
Lucinda Williams at SXSW 1999

Music Keynote: Lucinda Williams

68 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Joe Boyd (Interviewed by Tom Moon of The Philadelphia Inquirer), Greil Marcus (“I Can’t Help It If I’m Still In Love With You: Hank Williams”), Juan Atkins (“Is Rock Music Becoming Dance Music?”), Right Said Fred’s Richard Fairbrass (“Artists: How We Make Records”), Kramer (“Recording Strategies”), David Byrne and Perry Watts-Russell (“A&R: The Way We Work”), Inspectah Deck (“Getting Heard In Hip-Hop”)

1999
Jeff Beck at SXSW 1999

829 Showcasing Artists & 46 Stages: Death Cab for Cutie, Jeff Beck & Tom Waits

Notable Showcasing Artists: Tom Waits (Los Angeles CA), Jeff Beck (London UK), Wanda Jackson (Oklahoma City OK), Dead Prez (New York NY), Built to Spill (Boise ID), The Hives (Örebro SWEDEN), Beth Orton (London UK), At The Drive In (El Paso TX), Jimmie Vaughan (Austin TX), Robert Fripp (West Midlands UK), Leon Russell (Nashville TN), Spoon (Austin TX), The Gourds (Austin TX), The Flaming Lips (Oklahoma City OK), Patty Griffin (Boston MA), Death Cab For Cutie (Bellingham WA)

1999
SXSW 1999 Poster

Ron Howard, Matthew McConaughey & Woody Harrelson at SXSW Film

Notable Speakers: Arianna Bocco, Eamonn Bowles, Nick Broomfield, Guillermo del Toro, Larry Estes, “Speed” Levitch, Larry Meistrich, John Pierson, Bingham Ray, Robert Rodriguez, Tony Safford, Andrea Sperling, Mary Stuart Masterson, Guinevere Turner. Memorable Film Festival Screenings: Desert Blue (Morgan J. Freeman), From Dusk Til Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money (Scott Spiegel), The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg (Aviva Kempner). Notable Talent: Woody Harrelson, Anne Heche, Elizabeth Hurley, Matthew McConaughey

1999
SXSW 1999 Brochure

Interactive Keynotes: Mark Cuban (investor), Michael Wolff (Wolff New Media) & Philip Glass (musician) as interviewed by Marcos Novak (UCLA)

Notable Speakers: Paco Nathan (Fringeware), Michael Robertson (mp3.com), Content Love Knowles (Goddess Consulting), Ingrid Vanderveldt (Dryken), Jeff Veen (HotWired), Misty West, (Macromedia), Jason Wishnow (NewVenue.com), Tim Ziegler (Webmonkey), Joey Anuff (suck.com). Notable Sessions: Design Technique; Where Standards & Tools Come Together; Creating Community on Your Site

2000
Steve Earle at SXSW 2000

Music Keynote Speaker: Steve Earle

67 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Patti Smith (interview with Chuck Phillips of the Los Angeles Times), JD Souther (Songwriting), Bob Ezrin (Internet Radio), Chuck D (Artist’s panel), Elliot Roberts (interview with David Fricke of Rolling Stone), Thomas Dolby Robertson (“Making Noise on the Net”), John Perry Barlow (“Legal Concerns in the Digital Music Era”), teenage singer-songwriter Shannon Curfman and her mother Mary (“The Kids are Alright”), John Paul Jones (inteview with Jim DeRogatis of the Chicago Sun-Times), Sean Parker (Napster)

2000
Tenacious D at SXSW 2000

970 Showcasing Artists Including Cypress Hill, Patti Smith, Modest Mouse & Tenacious D

47 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: At The Drive-In (El Paso TX), Cypress Hill (Los Angeles CA), Doug E Fresh (New York NY), David Gray (London UK), Glen Hansard of the Frames (Dublin IRELAND), Helio Sequence (Portland OR), John Paul Jones (London UK), Jungle Brothers (New York NY), Robert Earl Keen (Austin TX), Jim Lauderdale (Nashville TN), Shelby Lynne (Palm Springs CA), The Mekons (Leeds UK), Modest Mouse (Issaquah WA), Okkervil River (Austin TX), Chuck Prophet (San Francisco CA), Ray Price (Perryville TX), Puffy (Tokyo JAPAN), Rhymesayers Collective (Minneapolis MN), Bob Schneider (Austin TX), Elliott Smith (Portland OR), Patti Smith (New York NY), Tegan & Sara (Calgary CANADA), Tenacious D (Los Angeles CA), M. Ward (Portland OR), Hank Williams III (Nashville TN)

2000
SXSW 2000 Poster

“SXSW crowd filling theaters this year rather than going to the panels is of course, a very good sign for the filmmakers with movies playing here.” – New York Times

Notable Speakers: D.A. Pennebaker & Chris Hegedus, Hughes Brothers, John Carpenter, Guillermo del Toro, Jeff Dowd, Liz Garbus, Janeane Garofalo, Monte Hellman, Richard Linklater, Elvis Mitchell, Jonathan Sehring. Memorable Film Festival Screenings: George Wallace: Settin’ the Woods on Fire (Paul Stekler & Daniel McCabe), Grass (Ron Mann), How’s Your News Sneak Preview (Arthur Bradford), Just, Melvin (James Ronald Whitney), The Target Shoots First (Chris Wilcha)

2000
Chuck D, Peter Case, Roger McGuinn, Joe Nick Patoski, Ian McLagan, Bernie Worrell, & Terri Clark at SXSW Music 2000

Interactive Keynotes: Rob Burgess & Kevin Lynch (Macromedia), Denise Caruso (New York Times) & Stewart Brand (author)

Notable Speakers: Meg Hourihan (Pyra), Jason Kottke (B-Swing Inc), Tiffany Shlain (The Webby Awards), Lucy Mohl (RealNetworks), Jennifer Neiderst (Littlechair Design), Brad Phillips (Milkshake Media), Pamela Ribon (pamie.com), Mika Salmi (AtomFilms). Notable Sessions: Webcasting Do’s and Don’t; Power Convergence: The New Medium; User Centric Design

2001
Black Crowes at SXSW 2001

1,000+ Showcasing Artists at SXSW 2001

1,012 Showcasing Artists, 48 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: Astrid (Helsinki FINLAND), Black Crowes (New York NY), Black Eyed Peas (Los Angeles CA), David Byrne (New York NY), Kasey Chambers (Avoca Beach AUSTRALIA), Deerhoof (San Francisco CA), Drive-By Truckers (Athens GA), Elbow (Lancashire UK), Explosions in the Sky (Austin TX), Idlewild (Edinburgh UK), Interpol (New York NY), Jurassic 5 (Los Angeles CA), Los Super Seven (Austin TX), Yngwie Malmsteen (Stockholm SWEDEN), Thomas Mapfumo (Harare ZIMBABWE), Mogwai (Glasgow UK), My Morning Jacket (Louisville KY), New Pornographers (Vancouver CANADA), Peaches (Berlin GERMANY), Robert Randolph (Maplewood NJ), The Shins (Albuquerque NM), The Strokes (New York NY), White Stripes (Detroit MI)

2001
Ron Jeremy, Richard Linklater, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino & More at SXSW Film

Ron Jeremy, Richard Linklater, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino & More at SXSW Film

Notable Speakers: Allison Anders, Anthony Bregman, Jill Clayburgh, Brunson Green, Gil Holland, Jim Jarmusch, Ron Jeremy, John Lee Hancock, Richard Linklater, Tommy Pallotta, Bill Plympton, Gregory Rhem, Robert Rodriguez, Keith Simanton, John Sloss, Chris Smith, Liz Smith, Jeffrey Tambor, Quentin Tarantino, Rip Torn, Barry Tubb, Doris Wishman. Memorable Film Festival Screenings: Frontier (Zellner Bros.), Low Self Esteem Girl (Blaine Thurier), Never Again (Eric Schaeffer), Okie Noodling (Brad Beesley), The Sweetest Sound (Alan Berliner)

2001
Ray Davies at SXSW 2001

Music Keynote: Ray Davies

69 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: David Byrne, Hal Willner, Sharon Osbourne , Miles Copeland III, Jello Biafra, Jennifer Toomey, Ike Turner, Glen Phillips, Jazzy Jay

2001
SXSW 2001 Brochure

Interactive Keynotes: John Battelle (Standard Media Int’l) & John Heilemann (author), Ian Clarke (The Freenet Project) & DJ Spooky (musician) & Michael Hirschorn (music journalist)

Notable Speakers: Danni Ashe (Danni’s Hard Drive), Larry Harvey (Burning Man), Nathan Shedroff (nathan.com), Evan Williams (Pyra.com), Sean Parker (Napster), Larry Page (Google), Caterina Fake (Sonoma), Michael Nolan (New Riders). Notable Sessions: Industry Trend 2001: Is Anyone Making Money?; Possibility and Constraint in Design; Weblogs: Microcontent

2002
Courtney Love at SXSW 2002

First outdoor stage performances at Auditorium Shores | Showcasing Artists: The Dears, Minus the Bear, Norah Jones, OK Go & More

1,035 Showcasing Artists, 49 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: Acid Mothers Temple (Nagoya JAPAN), Cravo Carbono (Belem BRAZIL), The Darkness (London UK), David Baerwald & the New Folk Underground (Austin TX), The Dears (Montreal CANADA), Freddy Fender (San Antonio TX), Neil Finn (Te Awamutu NEW ZEALAND), The Flatlanders (Lubbock TX), Grupo Fantasma (Austin TX), John Butler Trio (Fremantle AUSTRALIA), Norah Jones (New York NY, Kinky (Monterrey MEXICO), La Mafia (Houston TX), Los Lonely Boys (Austin TX), Mastodon (Atlanta GA), Minus The Bear (Seattle WA), The Octopus Project (Austin TX), OK Go (Chicago IL), Polyphonic Spree (Dallas TX), Rock Four (Tel Aviv ISRAEL), Sahara Hotnights (Robertsfors SWEDEN), Shearwater (Austin TX), The Soundtrack Of Our Lives (Goteborg SWEDEN), They Might Be Giants (Brooklyn NY), Don Walser (Austin TX), Yeah Yeah Yeahs (New York NY), The Datsuns (Auckland NEW ZEALAND)

2002
Robbie Robertson at SXSW 2002

Music Keynote: Robbie Robertson (guitarist for The Band)

63 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Courtney Love, Hilary Rosen, Miles Copeland III, Peter Guralnick, Gerard Cosloy of Matador, Wanda Jackson (“Rockabilly Fillies”), Jason Schwartzman of Phantom Planet, Patty Schemel, Nic Harcourt

2002
Russell Crowe at SXSW Film 2002

Documentary premiere Spellbound (Jeff Blitz) is the first breakout film for SXSW.

Notable Speakers: Peter Bogdanovitch, Roman Coppola, Dennis Hopper, Lloyd Kaufman, Danny Leiner, Cheech Marin, Albert Maysles, Molly Parker, John Sayles, Wayne Slater, Jeffrey Tambor. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: Blade 2 (Guillermo del Toro), Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns (A.J.Schnack), Journeys with George (Alexandra Pelosi), Last Party 2000 (Donovan Leitch & Rebecca Chaiklin), Spellbound (Jeff Blitz). Notable Talent: Russell Crowe, Ethan Hawke

2002
Interactive Keynotes: Kevin Lynch (Macromedia) & Jeff Veen (HotWired), Simon Assaad & David Carson (Heavy), Cory Doctorow (EFF) & Bruce Sterling (author)

Interactive Keynotes: Kevin Lynch (Macromedia) & Jeff Veen (HotWired), Simon Assaad & David Carson (Heavy), Cory Doctorow (EFF) & Bruce Sterling (author)

Notable Speakers: William Hurley (Invisisoft.com), Bob Regan (Macromedia), Erick Schonfeld (Business 2.0), Doc Searls (Doc Searls Weblog), Derek Sivers (CD Baby). Notable Sessions: I-Mode and Asian Culture; Small Business Survival Skills: Find Your Niche; P2P Journalism, Weblogs and Collaborative Media

2003
Jean Grae at SXSW 2003

Flatstock Poster Show First Year at SXSW | The Black Keys, Broken Social Scene, Jean Grae, & Blur Among SXSW 2003 Showcasing Artists

1,100 Showcasing Artists, 53 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: The Black Keys (Akron OH), James Blunt (London UK), Blur (London UK), Broken Social Scene (Toronto CANADA), Tia Carrera (Austin TX), Concrete Blonde (Los Angeles CA), Decemberists (Portland OR), Kathleen Edwards (Ottowa CANADA), El-P (New York NY), Explosions In The Sky (Austin TX), Jean Grae (New York NY), Richie Havens (New York NY), Hot Hot Heat (Victoria CANADA), I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness (Austin TX), Iguana Men of Galapagos (Puerto Villamil ECUADOR), Iron & Wine (Miami FL), Joe Jackson Band (London UK), Junior Senior (Copenhagen DENMARK), Daniel Lanois (Toronto CANADA), Sondre Lerche (Bergen NORWAY), Lucero (Memphis TN), Molotov (Mexico City MEXICO), Mountain Goats (Claremont CA), Mudhoney (Seattle WA), Patrice Pike & the Black Box Rebellion (Austin TX), Michael Penn (Los Angeles CA), Pinback (San Diego CA), The Raveonettes (Copenhagen DENMARK), Sound Team (San Antonio TX), Stellastarr (New York NY), Billy Bob Thornton (Los Angeles CA), Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players (New York NY), Yardbirds with Slash, Skunk Baxter & Steve Vai (London UK)

2003
Daniel Lanois at SXSW 2003

Music Keynote: Daniel Lanois (renowned producer and musician)

72 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Lyle Lovett, Pharrell Williams, Anthony Wilson, FCC commisioner Jonathan Adelstein Michael Dorf, Don, Scott McCaughey, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, David Ritz, Steve Schnur

2003
Controversial documentary on Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, sells out the Paramount Theatre on Closing Night of SXSW Film

Controversial documentary on Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, sells out the Paramount Theatre on Closing Night of SXSW Film

Notable Speakers: Peter Fonda, Joel Schumacher. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: Cabin Fever (Eli Roth), Flag Wars (Linda Goode Bryant & Laura Poitras), Go Further (Ron Mann), Sexless (Alex Holdridge). Notable Talent: Brooke Adams, Tony Shalhoub

2003
Joel Schumacher at the premiere of "Phone Booth" at SXSW Film 2003

Interactive Keynotes: David Weinberger, (author) (Opening Remarks), Doug Lenat (Cycorp), Joshua Davis (School of Visual Arts, New York) & Richard Florida (author)

Notable Speakers: Anil Dash (dashes.com), Richard Stallman, Scott Heiferman (Meetup), Eric Meyer (meyerweb.com), Jim Munroe (author), Philip Kaplan (Fucked Company), Kevin Smokler (centralbooking.com). Notable Sessions: Beyond the Blog: The Future of Personal Publishing; Trends in How the Internet Connects People; Between the (Style) Sheets: CSS, Browsers and You

2004
N.E.R.D with Pharrell Williams at SXSW 2004

1,279 Showcasing Artists & 55 Stages

Notable Showcasing Artists: Against Me! (Gainesville FL), The B-52’s (Athens GA), Big Star (Memphis TN), Cake (Sacramento CA), Calexico (Tucson AZ), Chamillionaire (Houston TX), The Church (Sydney AUSTRALIA), Alvin Crow & the Pleasant Valley Boys (Austin TX), Death From Above 1979 (Toronto CANADA), Dirty Projectors (Hartford CT), Dizzee Rascal (London UK), Dresden Dolls (Boston MA), Franz Ferdinand (Glasgow UK), Hives (Fagersta SWEDEN), The Hold Steady (Brooklyn NY), Shooter Jennings (Los Angeles CA), Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (New York NY), The Killers (Las Vegas NV), Kris Kristofferson (Brownsville TX), Mission Of Burma (Boston MA), Modest Mouse (Issaquah WA), The National (New York NY), N.E.R.D. (Virginia Beach VA), Ozomatli (Los Angeles CA), Petty Booka (Tokyo JAPAN), Razorlight (London UK), Snow Patrol (Glasgow UK), Sufjan Stevens (Petosky MI), Joss Stone (Devon UK), Toots & the Maytals (Kingston JAMAICA), TV On The Radio (New York NY), Uzbegim Taronasi (Tashkent UZBEKISTAN), The Walkmen (New York NY), What Made Milwaukee Famous (Austin TX)

2004
Paramount Theatre marquee at SXSW Film 2004

Guillermo Del Toro brings down the house with a rambunctious screening of Hellboy at SXSW Film

Notable Speakers: Jonathan Demme, John Landis, Gary Ross, Todd Wagner. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: A League of Ordinary Gentlemen (Christopher Browne), Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story (Brant Sersen), Bush’s Brain (Joseph Mealey & Michael Shoob), Dear Pillow (Bryan Poyser), The End (Kirby Dick), Last Man Standing (Paul Stekler). Notable Talent: Guillermo del Toro, Crispin Glover, Jim Jarmusch, Jason Lee, Ron Perlman

2004
Little Richard at SXSW 2004

Music Keynote: Little Richard

70 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Interviews with Walter Yetnikoff, Wayne Coyne, Andrew Loog Oldham, Ani DiFranco, and Joan Baez; Mark Cuban, Nils Bernstein, Megan Jasper, Jim Pitt, Robyn Hitchcock

2004
Interactive Keynotes: Brenda Laurel (Purple Moon) (Opening Remarks), Eli Pariser & Zach Exley (MoveOn), Howard Rheingold (author) & Jonathan Abrams (Friendster)

Interactive Keynotes: Brenda Laurel (Purple Moon) (Opening Remarks), Eli Pariser & Zach Exley (MoveOn), Howard Rheingold (author) & Jonathan Abrams (Friendster)

Notable Speakers: Derek Powazek (powazek.com), Joe Trippi, Joi Ito, Brenda Laurel (author), Dave Shea (CSSZenGarden.com), Jane Pinckard (GameGirlAdvance), Anne Lin (annielin.com). Notable Sessions: Wireless and Grassroots Innovation; Interactions as Interventions; Drop the MP3

2005
Bill Flanagan & Robert Plant at SXSW 2005

Music Keynote: Robert Plant

72 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Interviews with Jacob Slichter, Elvis Costello, Shawn Fanning, Mavis Staples, Erykah Badu; Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks, Mac McCaughan, Ian McLagan, Marty Diamond, Dan Reed

2005
Mavis Staples at SXSW 2005

Mavis Staples, Fatboy Slim, Dr. Dog & More | 1,331 Showcasing Artists

56 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: Erykah Badu (Dallas TX), Beto y los Fairlanes (Austin TX), Blind Boys of Alabama (Birmingham AL), Bloc Party (London UK), Blowfly (Miami FL), John Cale (New York NY), Chingo Bling (Houston TX), Dr. Dog (Philadelphia PA), Fatboy Slim (Brighton UK), The Go! Team (Brighton UK), The Grates (Brisbane AUSTRALIA), Robyn Hitchcock (London UK), Ian Hunter (Hoboken NJ), Billy Idol (Los Angeles CA), Kaiser Chiefs (Leeds UK), LCD Soundsystem (New York NY), Amos Lee (Philadelphia PA), M.I.A. (London UK), Kathy McCarty (Austin TX), Menomena (Portland OR), New York Dolls (New York NY), Ariel Pink (Los Angeles CA), Kermit Ruffins (New Orleans LA), The Silos (New York NY), Sleater-Kinney (Portland OR), Slim Thug (Houston TX), Son Volt (St. Louis MO), ST-37 (Austin TX), Mavis Staples with Marty Stuart (Chicago IL), Swishahouse (Houston TX), We Are Scientists (Brooklyn NY), Wolfmother (Sydney AUSTRALIA)

2005
The Duplass Brothers, Joe Swanberg & Andrew Bujalski come together for the first time at SXSW Film

The Duplass Brothers, Joe Swanberg & Andrew Bujalski come together for the first time at SXSW Film

Notable Speakers: Wayne Coyne, Al Franken, Chris Gore, Thomas Hayden Church, Todd Solondz, Christine Vachon. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: The Boys of Baraka (Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady), Cavite (Ian Gamazon & Neill Dela Llana), The Kings of Comedy (Michael Blieden), Our Brand is Crisis (Rachel Boynton), Wendell Baker Story (Luke & Andrew Wilson). Notable Talent: Maria Bamford, Claire Forlani, Zach Galifianakis, Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn, Sarah Silverman, Harry Dean Stanton, Andrew, Owen & Luke Wilson, Elijah Wood

2005
Al Franken at SXSW 2005

Interactive Keynotes: Jeffrey Zeldman (Web designer, author) (Opening Remarks), Malcolm Gladwell (author), Ana Marie Cox (Wonkette.com), Alex Steffan (WorldChanging.com) & Bruce Sterling (author)

Notable Speakers: Peter Merholz (Adaptive Path), Min Jung Kim (minjungkim.com), Laura Swisher (lauraswisher.com), Jane Wells (janeforshort.net), Molly Holzschlag (molly.com), Daniel Pink (author), Jason Santa Maria (jasonsantamaria.com), Robert Scoble (Microsoft), Irinia Slutsky (Red Herring). Notable Sessions: Building Your Brand with Blogs; Where are the Women of Web Design?; The Flash vs. HTML Game Show

2006
Neil Young & Jonathan Demme at SXSW 2006

Music Keynote: Neil Young

71 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Interviews: Ted Cohen (EMI Music), Beastie Boys, Sam Moore, Morrissey, k.d. lang, Kris Kristofferson, Judy Collins, Pretenders, Billy Bragg, and Matthew Knowles; Hank Shocklee, Steve Earle, Dave Allen U.S. Representive Mary Bono

2006
David Cross & Anabelle Gurewitch at SXSW Film 2006

North American premiere of A Prairie Home Companion, the final film from legendary director Robert Altman, opens SXSW Film

Notable Speakers: Miranda Bailey, Bill Banowsky, Peter Bart, Alan Berliner, Doug Block, Josh Braun, Margaret Brown, Burnie Burns, Kirby Dick, Eugene Hernandez, David Hudson, Andy Langer, Karina Longworth, Tim McCanlies, Ted Mundorff, Bob Odenkirk, Maggie Renzi, Henry Rollins, John Sayles, Alex Smith, Charlize Theron, Diane Weyermann, Banker White. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: 95 Miles to Go (Tom Caltabiano), Al Franken: God Spoke (Al Doob & Chris Hegedus), Before the Music Dies (Andrew Shapter), Dance Party USA (Aaron Katz), Darkon (Andrew Neel & Luke Meyer), Jumping Off Bridges (Kat Candler), The Life of Reilly (Barry Poltermann), LOL (Joe Swanberg), Manhattan, Kansas (Tara Wray), Nobelity (Turk Pipkin). Notable Talent: Erykah Badu, Beastie Boys, Felipe Cazals, David Cross, Jonathan Demme, Andy Dick, Al Franken, Kris Kristofferson, Ray Romano, Questlove, Neil Young

2006
Beastie Boys at SXSW 2006

1,493 Showcasing Artists Including Arctic Monkeys, Beastie Boys & Morrissey

Notable Showcasing Artists: Animal Collective (Baltimore MD), Arctic Monkeys (Sheffield UK), Art Brut (London UK), Belle & Sebastian (Glasgow UK), The Black Angels (Austin TX), Blackalicious (Oakland CA), Camera Obscura (Glasgow UK), Rosanne Cash (New York NY), Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Brooklyn NY), The Cribs (Wakefield UK), The Datsuns (Auckland NEW ZEALAND), dEUS (Antwerp BELGIUM), Devin The Dude (Houston TX), Echo and the Bunnymen (Liverpool UK), Flight Of The Conchords (Wellington NEW ZEALAND), Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly (Southend UK), Glass Eye (Austin TX), Jose Gonzalez (Gothenburg SWEDEN), Talib Kweli (New York NY), Little Willies (New York NY), Mr. Lif (Boston MA), Morrissey (Manchester UK), The Pretenders (London UK), Rhys Chatham’s Guitar Army (featuring Thurston Moore, Chris Brokaw, Doug McCombs and Ernie Brooks) (Paris FRANCE), Silversun Pickups (Los Angeles CA), Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings (Brooklyn NY), Sia (Adelaide AUSTRALIA), Standing Waves (Austin TX), Tapes ’N Tapes (Minneapolis MN), KT Tunstall (London UK), Voxtrot (Austin TX)

2006
2006 Interactive Keynote Bruce Sterling Closing Remarks

Interactive Keynotes: Jim Coudal (Coudal Partners) & Jason Fried (37 Signals) (Opening Remarks), Heather Armstrong (dooce.com) & Jason Kottke (kottke.org), Craig Newmark (Craigslist) as interviewed by Jimmy Wales (Wikipedia), Burnie Burns (Rooster Teeth Productions) & Bruce Sterling (author) (Closing Remarks)

Notable Speakers: JD Lasica, Mena Trott, Faruk Ateş, (Happy Cog), Khoi Vinh (subtraction.com), Shawn Henry (w3.org), Tara Hunt (horsepigcow.com), Liz Danzico (Boxes and Arrows), Joel Spolsky (Fog Creek Software), Rufus Griscom (nerve.com), Reuben Steiger (Linden Labs), Lisa Stone (BlogHer). Notable Sessions: The Five Most Important Startup Decisions; Increasing Women’s Visibility Online; Web 2.1: Making Web 2.0 Accessible

2007
Amy Winehouse at SXSW 2007

1,580 Showcasing Artists: Peter, Bjorn & John, Public Enemy, Amy Winehouse, & Lily Allen

70 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: Lily Allen (Hammersmith UK), Archie Bell (Houston TX), Black Lips (Atlanta GA), The Bravery (New York NY), Hoodoo Gurus (Sydney AUSTRALIA), Kings of Leon (Nashville TN), Mew (Copenhagen DENMARK), Tom Morello’s Nightwatchman (with Slash, Nuno Bettencourt, Wayne Kramer, Les Claypool & Perry Farrell) (Los Angeles CA), Paolo Nutini (Paisley UK), Lee “Scratch” Perry (Kingstown JAMAICA), Peter, Bjorn & John (Stockholm SWEDEN), Public Enemy (Long Island NY), Sam the Sham (Memphis TN), Shearwater (Austin TX), St. Vincent (Dallas TX), Stax 50 Revue (Booker T. & the M.G.’s with Isaac Hayes, William Bell & Eddie Floyd) (Memphis TN), The Twilight Sad (Glasgow UK), Amy Winehouse (London UK), YB (Seoul SOUTH KOREA)

2007
World Premiere of Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up | Seth Rogen, Seth MacFarlane, Isla Fisher, Joseph Gordon-Levitt & More at SXSW Film

World Premiere of Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up | Seth Rogen, Seth MacFarlane, Isla Fisher, Joseph Gordon-Levitt & More at SXSW Film

Notable Speakers: Elizabeth Avellan, Eamonn Bowles, John Cameron Mitchell, Rob Corddry, David Gale, Richard Linklater, Seth MacFarlane, Ron Mann, Ken Marino, Thom Powers, Tom Quinn, David Wain. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: Audience of One (Michael Jacobs), Billy The Kid (Jennifer Venditti), Does Your Soul Have a Cold? (Mike Mills), Frownland (Ronnie Bronstein), Hannah Takes the Stairs (Joe Swanberg), Helvetica (Gary Hustwit), Itty Bitty Titty Committee (Jamie Babbit), The Lookout (Scott Frank), Orphans (Ry Russo Young). Notable Talent: Isla Fisher, Greta Gerwig, Matthew Goode, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shia Labeouf, Ken Marino, Morgan Spurlock, David Wain

2007
Pete Townshend at SXSW 2007

Music Keynote Speaker: Pete Townshend

74 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Emmylou Harris in conversation with Jonathan Demme, Lou Adler, Michelle Phillips and Andrew Loog Oldham, Gilberto Gil, Booker T. Jones, Iggy Pop, Rickie Lee Jones, David Byrne, Marco Werman

2007
150 panel sessions & 450+ total speakers at SXSW Interactive | SXSW PanelPicker® is launched

150 panel sessions & 450+ total speakers at SXSW Interactive | SXSW PanelPicker® is launched

Keynotes: Kathy Sierra (wickedlysmart.com) (Opening Remarks), Limor Fried (ladyadda.net) & Phil Torrone (Make), Dan Rather (journalist) as interviewed by Jane Harmsher (firedoglake.com), Will Wright (Maxis), Bruce Sterling (author) (Closing Remarks). Notable Speakers: Justin Hall (links.net), Douglas Coupland (author), Tim Ferriss (author), Aza Raskin (humanized.com), Raph Koster (areae.net), James McNally (consolationchamps.com), Elisa Camahort (BlogHer). Notable Sessions: Non-Developers to Open Source Acolytes; Virtual Worlds and Virtual Humans; The Death of the Desktop

2008
Ice Cube - SXSW 2008 -Photo by Daniel Lewis

“In its 22 years, SXSW has grown from a tiny music festival in the Texas capital into a massive, unavoidable media beast that reflects, discusses and showcases trends in culture and media but also often creates them. The trends that have forced massive changes upon the music industry are lamented in some SXSW panel discussions even as they’re advanced and improved in others.” -National Post

2008
Ben Harper & Tom Morello at SXSW Music 2008

1,809 Showcasing Artists: Ice Cube, Bon Iver, Katy Perry, MGMT, R.E.M., Vampire Weekend & More

83 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: 127 (Tehran IRAN), David Banner (Jackson MS), Beangrowers (St. Julians MALTA), Bon Iver (Eau Claire WI), Billy Bragg (London UK), Debate (São Paulo BRAZIL), detroit7 (Tokyo JAPAN), Diplo (Philadelphia PA), Duffy (Wales UK), Fleet Foxes (Seattle WA), David Garza (Austin TX), Ice Cube (Hollywood CA), Jens Lekman (Gothenburg SWEDEN), MGMT (Brooklyn NY), Van Morrison (Dublin IRELAND), Nada Surf (Brooklyn NY), Katy Perry (Los Angeles CA), R.E.M. (Athens GA), Carrie Rodriguez (Austin TX), Mala Rodriguez (Cadiz SPAIN), She & Him (Los Angeles CA), The Soundtrack Of Our Lives (Gothenburg SWEDEN), The Ting Tings (Manchester UK), Vampire Weekend (New York NY), Volodja Balzalorsky (Ljubljana SLOVENIA), The Whigs (Athens GA), Wooden Shjips (San Francisco CA)

2008
The premiere of "21" at SXSW Film 2008

Keepin’ Austin Weird: Doug Benson premieres his pot doc Super High Me at 4:20pm at SXSW Film

Notable Speakers: Michael Eisner, Helen Hunt, Moby, Billy Bob Thornton. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: A Necessary Death (Daniel Stamm), At the Death House Door (Steve James), Bi the Way (Josephine Decker), Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Nicholas Stoller), In a Dream (Jeremiah Zagar), Medicine For Melancholy (Barry Jenkins), My Effortless Brilliance (Lynn Shelton), Nerdcore Rising (Negin Farsad), Nights and Weekends (Joe Swanberg & Greta Gerwig), The Pleasure of Being Robbed (Josh Safdie), They Killed Sister Dorothy (Daniel Junge), Woodpecker (Alex Karpovsky). Notable Talent: Kristen Bell, Russell Brand, Josh Brolin, John Cho, Neil Patrick Harris, Kal Penn, David Schwimmer, Jason Segel

2008
SXSW Music 2008 Keynote Speaker Lou Reed

Music Keynote: Lou Reed | 68 Panels, Workshops & Sessions

Notable Speakers: Steve Reich, Seymour Stein, Louis Messina, Danny Goldberg, Sean Moriarty, Ice Cube and DJ Pooh, Carrie Brownstein, Mick Jones and Tony James, Daryl Hall, Roky Erickson, Alan Parsons

2008
2008 Interactive Keynote room

Interactive Keynotes: Henry Jenkins (author) & Steven Johnson (FEED Magazine) (Opening Remarks), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) as interviewed by Sarah Lacey (BusinessWeek), Frank Warren (PostSecret), & Jane McGonigal (avantgame.com)

Notable Speakers: Andy Baio, Merlin Mann, Jonathan Coulton, Jeff Jarvis (BuzzMachine), Lynne d Johnson (Fast Company), Dan Roam (author), Jared Spool (User Interface Engineering), Dave McClure (500 Hats). Notable Sessions: Worst Website Ever; Startup Metrics for Pirates; Illusion to Simplify Design. Milestones & Highlights: Airbnb launches at SXSW 2008 with two customers, one of which was CEO Brian Chesky.

2009
Bun B at SXSW 2009

“The U.S. economy is in the grip of recession, but you wouldn’t know it from attending the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, a 10-day music, film, and interactive industry networking marathon fueled by massive quantities of beer and barbecue.” -Reuters

2009
Metallica at SXSW 2009

1,987 Showcasing Artists Including Kid Cudi, Metallica, Mumford & Sons, & Big Boi

88 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: Tori Amos (Los Angeles CA), …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead (Austin TX), The Avett Brothers (Concord NC), Big Boi (Atlanta GA), Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears (Austin TX), Bomba Estereo (Bogota COLOMBIA), Bun B (Port Arthur TX), Camera Obscura (Glasgow UK), Choc Quib Town (Bogota COLOMBIA), Devo (Los Angeles CA), Justin Townes Earle (Nashville TN), Grupo Fantasma (Austin TX), Mayer Hawthorne & the County (Ann Arbor MI), Heartless Bastards (Cincinnati OH), Kid Cudi (Cleveland OH), Metallica (Los Angeles CA), Janelle Monae (Atlanta GA), The Moog (Budapest HUNGARY), Mumford & Sons (London UK), Primal Scream (Glasgow UK), Ra Ra Riot (Syracuse NY), Tinted Windows (New York NY), Tokyo Sex Destruction (Barcelona SPAIN), Patricia Vonne (Austin TX), We Were Promised Jetpacks (Glasgow UK)

2009
"I Love You Man" premiere at SXSW Film 2009

Lena Dunham debuts at SXSW Film with Creative Nonfiction & meets future collaborators for 2010’s Award Winning Tiny Furniture | Joe Swanberg’s Alexander the Last has first ever, day-and-date release at festival & on VOD.

Notable Speakers: Jan Harlan, Todd Haynes, Richard Linklater, Col Needham, Robert Rodriguez, Henry Selick, Jeffrey Tambor’s Acting Workshop, Mark Woollen. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: 45365 (Ross Brothers), Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo (Jessica Oreck), Best Worst Movie (Michael Paul Stephenson), Breaking Upwards (Daryl Wein), Brock Enright: Good Times Will Never Be the Same (Jody Lee Lipes), I Love You, Man (John Hamburg), It was great but I was ready to come home (Kris Swanberg), Trust Us: This Is All Made Up (Alex Karpovsky), True Adolescents (Craig Johnson), Winnebago Man (Ben Steinbauer). Memorable Film Festival Screenings: Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow). Notable Talent: Jennifer Coolidge, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Amber Heard, George Kuchar, Spike Lee, Zoe Lister-Jones, Danny McBride, Sam Rockwell, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Jason Segel

2009
Chris Anderson (author) & Guy Kawasaki at SXSW Interactive 2009

SXSW Accelerator pitch competition launches to serve the growing startup ecosystem at SXSW Interactive | Foursquare, Gowalla, & Uber Launch

Keynotes: Tony Hsieh (Zappos) (Opening Remarks), Nate Silver (FiveThirtyEight.com) as interviewed by Stephen Baker (BusinessWeek), James Powderly (G.R.L.) as interviewed by Virginia Hefernan (New York Times Magazine), Chris Anderson (Wired, author, 3D Robotics) as interviewed by Guy Kawasaki (VC), Bruce Sterling (author) (Closing Remarks). Notable Speakers: John Gruber (Daring Fireball), Tom Serres (Piryx Inc), Werner Vogels (Amazon), Donna Kidwell (herdomain), Kellee Santiago (thatgamecompany), Michael Fertik (reputationdefender.com). Notable Sessions: Being Indie and Successful in the Video Game Industry; Politics, Technology, and Pop Culture; Digital Narc’ing

2009
Nate Silver (FiveThirtyEight) at SXSW Interactive 2009

Music Keynote: Quincy Jones

79 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Little Steven Van Zandt, Devo, Oak Ridge Boys, Tab Kubler and Craig Finn, Martin Atkins, Carlene Carter, Michael Ochs , Alexandra Patsavas, Rick Rogers, Panos Panay, Jarvis Cocker

2010
Cheap Trick, 2010. Photo by Scott Melcer

1,978 Showcasing Artists: Miike Snow, Cheap Trick, Band Of Horses, Stone Temple Pilots, Paul Wall & More

1,978 Showcasing Artists, 89 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: Bajofondo (Buenos Aires ARGENTINA), Band Of Horses (Charleston SC), Best Coast (Los Angeles CA), BettySoo (Austin TX), Broken Bells with James Mercer (Los Angeles CA), Court Yard Hounds (Austin TX), Death (Detroit MI), Hole (New York NY), Wanda Jackson (Maud OK), Sarah Jarosz (Austin TX), Local Natives (Los Angeles CA), Man Or Astro-man? (Auburn AL), Marina & the Diamonds (London UK), Miike Snow (Stockholm SWEDEN), Nas and Damien “Jr Gong” Marley (Miami FL), Mumiy Troll (Vladivostok RUSSIA), Nneka (Warri NIGERIA), Peelander-Z (New York NY), Raphael Saadiq (Los Angeles CA), Stone Temple Pilots (Los Angeles CA), T. Bird and the Breaks (Austin TX), Thee Oh Sees (San Francisco CA), Ana Tijoux (Santiago CHILE), Toro y Moi (Columbia SC), Paul Wall (Houston TX), The xx (London UK), John Hiatt (Nashville TN). Milestones & Highlights: Big Star Tribute

2010
The premiere of "Kick-Ass" at the Paramount Theatre during SXSW Film 2010

Monsters and Marwencol and Ms. Lena Dunham’s Tiny Furniture, three very different world premieres, wow SXSW audiences and then the world.

Notable Speakers: Ruben Fleischer, Michel Gondry, David Gordon Green, Matt Reeves, Eli Roth, Gustavo Santaolalla, Gilbert Shelton, Jeffrey Tambor’s Acting Workshop, Ti West. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: Cold Weather (Aaron Katz), Kick-Ass (Matthew Vaughn), MacGruber (Jorma Taccone), The Myth of the American Sleepover (David Robert Michell), Passenger Pigeons (Martha Stephens), Pelada (Luke Boughen, Rebekah Fergusson, Gwendolyn Oxenham, Ryan White), Putty Hill (Matthew Porterfield), Thunder Soul (Mark Landsman), Tiny Furniture (Lena Dunham). Notable Talent: Malin Akerman, Carrie Brownstein, Robert Duvall, Dakota Fanning, Will Forte, Judy Greer, Carla Gugino, Val Kilmer, Lemmy, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Ryan Phillippe, John C. Reilly, Chloe Sevigny, Sissy Spacek, Kristen Stewart, Patrick Wilson

2010
The 2010 SXSW Web Awards (hosted by Doug Benson)

Siri wins SXSW Accelerator “Innovative Web” category at SXSW Interactive

Interactive Keynotes: Danah Boyd (Microsoft Research) (Opening Remarks), Valerie Casey (Designers Accord), Ev Williams (Twitter) as interviewed by Umair Haque (Havas Media Lab), Daniel Ek (Spotify) as interviewed by Eliot Van Buskirk (Journalist) & Bruce Sterling (author) (Closing Remarks). Notable Speakers: Nicholas Carr (author), Dan Ariely (Duke University), Kim-Mai Cutler (VentureBeat), Veronica McGregor (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory), Kenyatta Cheese (rocketboom.tv), Perry Chen (Kickstarter)

2010
SXSW Music 2010 Keynote Speaker Smokey Robinson

Music Keynote: Smokey Robinson

89 Venues & Stages | Notable Speakers: Lemmy Kilmister, Cheap Trick, Derek Sivers, Feargal Sharkey, Mac McCaughan and Laura Balance, Andrew WK, Lenny Kaye, Hugh Padgham, Dr. Ike Padnos, Suzanne Vega, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, Clem Burke

2011
Outdoor Stage, 2011. Photo by Daniel Cavazos

“Started as a music industry conference 25 years ago, SXSW captures the quirky character of its host city … by integrating creative talent, early adopters and emerging media.” -Yahoo! Finance

2011
Charles Bradley and the Menahan Street Band at SXSW 2011

2,000+ Showcasing Artists: Charles Bradley, Big Freedia, Fitz and the Tantrums & More

2,098 Showcasing Artists, 92 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: Talib Kweli (New York NY), Big Freedia (New Orleans LA), Nive Nielsen (Inuit GREENLAND), Psychic TV (New York NY), J. Cole (Fayetteville NC), B.o.B (Atlanta GA), Charles Bradley & Menahan Street Band (Brooklyn NY), Raphael Saadiq (Bay Area CA), Fitz and the Tantrums (Los Angeles CA), Queens of the Stone Age (Los Angeles CA), Richie Hawtin (Windsor CANADA), tUnE-YarDs (Oakland CA), TV on the Radio (Brooklyn NY), Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Jim James of My Morning Jacket (New Orleans LA), Skrillex (Los Angeles CA), Jamie Woon (London UK), Jamie xx (London UK), The Joy Formidable (London UK), Odd Future (Los Angeles CA), The Strokes (New York NY), James Blake (London UK), Wu-Tang Clan (Staten Island NY), Yelawolf (Gadsden AL), Deer Tick (Providence RI), Pains of Being Pure at Heart (New York NY), The Vaccines (London UK), Sharon Van Etten (Brooklyn NY)

2011
SXSW Music 2011 Keynote Speaker Bob Geldof

Music Keynote Speaker: Bob Geldof

181 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Bobby Rush, Andrew W.K., Duran Duran, Yoko Ono, Martin Atkins, Liz Phair, Big Freedia

2011
Bridesmaids (work-in-progress), Attack the Block, Undefeated, Greta Gerwig, Simon Pegg and More for SXSW Film

Bridesmaids (work-in-progress), Attack the Block, Undefeated, Greta Gerwig, Simon Pegg and More for SXSW Film

Notable Speakers: Sandra Adair, Vera Farmiga, Ze Frank, James Gunn, Jake Gyllenhaal, Catherine Hardwicke, Duncan Jones, Tim League, Richard Linklater, Elvis Mitchell, Ellen Page, Todd Phillips, Randall Poster, Paul Reubens, Robert Rodriguez, Rainn Wilson. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: Attack the Block (Joe Cornish), The Beaver (Jodie Foster), Bridesmaids (work-in-progress; Paul Feig), Charlie Casanova (Terry McMahon), Dragonslayer (Tristan Patterson), Green (Sophia Takal), Kill List (Ben Wheatley), Natural Selection (Robbie Pickering), Paul (Greg Mottola), The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway (Paul Reubens), Turkey Bowl (Kyle Smith), Weekend (Andrew Haigh) | Notable Talent: Rosario Dawson, Mark Duplass, Elmo, Vera Farmiga, Foo Fighters, Jodie Foster, Nick Frost, Greta Gerwig, Paul Giamatti, Carla Gugino, Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel Harris, Jake Johnson, Michelle Monaghan, Conan O’Brien, Ellen Page, Simon Pegg, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Ritter, Billy Bob Thornton, Ti West, Joss Whedon, Kristen Wiig, Rainn Wilson, Anton Yelchin and more. | Undefeated wins the Oscar for Best Documentary at the Academy Awards.

2011
Al Franken at SXSW Interactive 2011

Inaugural SXSWedu conference preceded SXSW Music, Film & Interactive in March 2011 | First SXSW Eco Conference Launched in Fall of 2011

Keynotes: Seth Priebatsch (SCVNGR), Christopher Poole (4chan/Canvas), Felicia Day (Knights of Good Productions) as interviewed by Liz Shannon Miller (GigaOm), Blake Mycoskie (TOMS Shoes), Bruce Sterling (author) (Closing Remarks). Notable Speakers: Marissa Mayer (Google), Matthew Haughey (MetaFilter), Josh Williams (Gowalla), Alex Williams (ReadWriteWeb), Todd Park (US Department of Health and Human Services (2011), Ethan Kurzweil (Bessemer Venture Partners), Jenn Maer (IDEO), Brian Chesky (Airbnb), June Cohen (TED)

2012
Jake Johnson, Mark Duplass, Aubrey Plaza & Karan Soni at the premiere of "Safety Not Guaranteed" at SXSW Film 2012

“Part musical festival, part film festival, part tech-head confab, SXSW is a unique event in the pop-culture firmament, bringing massive stars and indie up-and-comers in music, movies, and tech together in the Texas hill country of Austin.” -Entertainment Weekly

2012
Counting Crows, 2012. Photo by Debbie Finley

2,286 Showcasing Artists & 104 Stages

Notable Showcasing Artists: Jimmy Cliff (Kingston JAMAICA), Bruce Springsteen (Long Branch NJ), Lionel Richie (Los Angeles CA), Built to Spill (Boise ID), A$AP Rocky (New York NY), Rodriguez (Detroit MI), Santigold (Philadelphia PA), Purity Ring (Montreal CANADA), Blitzen Trapper (Portland OR), fun. (New York NY), The Jesus and Mary Chain (Glasgow UK), Cults (New York NY), Bob Mould (San Francisco CA), Timbaland (Miami FL), Ed Sheeran (Framlingham UK), Sleigh Bells (New York NY), Thomas Dolby (Suffolk UK), T.I. (Atlanta GA), Tenacious D (Los Angeles CA), Schoolboy Q (Los Angeles CA), Alabama Shakes (Athens AL), Fiona Apple (New York NY), The Shins (Albuquerque NM), Gary Clark Jr. (Austin TX), Poliça (Minneapolis MN), Norah Jones (New York NY), THEESatisfaction (Seattle WA), Juanes (Medellin COLOMBIA), The Lumineers (Denver CO)

2012
SXSW Music 2012 Keynote Speaker Bruce Springsteen

SXSW 2012 Music Keynote: Bruce Springsteen

182 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Steve Greenberg (Lipps Inc.), Paul Williams, Juanes, Martin Atkins, Ian Astbury, Mark Mothersbaugh, Arlo Guthrie, Nas, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Donovan

2012
World premiere of HBO’s series’ Girls, 21 Jump Street, The Cabin in the Woods & More from SXSW Film

World premiere of HBO’s series’ Girls, 21 Jump Street, The Cabin in the Woods & More from SXSW Film

Notable Speakers: Willem Dafoe, Richard Linklater, Seth MacFarlane, Cliff Martinez, Mark Mothersbaugh, Kevin Smith, Jeffrey Tambor’s Acting Workshop, Mark Wahlberg, Joss Whedon. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: Beauty is Embarrassing (Neil Berkeley), Big Easy Express (Emmett Malloy), The Cabin in the Woods (Drew Goddard), Citadel (Ciarán Foy), Eden (Megan Griffiths), Fat Kid Rules the World (Matthew Lillard), Gayby (Jonathan Lisecki), Sequin Raze (Sarah Gertrude Shapiro), Starlet (Sean Baker), Sun Don’t Shine (Amy Seimetz), Waiting for Lightning (Jacob Rosenberg). Notable Talent: Mike Birbiglia, Jack Black, Billy Campbell, Deepak Chopra, Kristen Connolly, Willem Dafoe, Minnie Driver, Lena Dunham, Mark Duplass, Julia Garner, Gina Gershon, Bobcat Goldthwait, Emile Hirsch, Richard Jenkins, Jake Johnson, Alex Karpovsky, Johnny Knoxville, Melissa Leo, Matthew Lillard, Ziggy Marley, Matthew McConaughey, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Rob Riggle, Mumford & Sons, Mark Wahlberg, Danny Way, Bradley Whitford, Paul Williams

2012
Amber Case (entrepreneur) at SXSW Interactive 2012

SXSW Interactive Introduces Startup Village® & SXSW Create | Convergence Programming is officially added for Interactive, Film and Music badgeholders.

Keynotes: Baratunde Thurston (baratunde.com), Amber Case (Geoloqi.com), Ray Kurzweil (Kurzweil Technologies) as interviewed by Lev Grossman (Time Magazine), Jennifer Pahlka (Code for America), Bruce Sterling (author) (Closing Remarks). Notable Speakers: Aneesh Chopra, Bing Gordon, Catharine Havasi (MIT Media Lab), Jane McGonigal, Eric Ries (Lean Startup), Alec Ross (US Department of State), Don Tapscott (author), Bob Vila, Jill Abramson (New York Times), Nick Denton (Gawker), Vic Gundotra (Google), George Friedman (Stratfor), Peter Diamandis (XPrize), Ayah Bdeir, Kevin Systrom (Instagram), Leslie Saxon (USC Division of Cadriovascular Medicine), Ben Silbermann (Pinterest)

2013
Outdoor Stage - Photo by Tye Truitt

“South by Southwest broadly is about bringing people from a wide array of business and creative disciplines together to figure out the future… It’s a forward-thinking event.” -Wired.com

2013
Cafe Tacvba, 2013. Photo by Richard McBlane

2,278 Showcasing Artists: Prince, The Zombies, Icona Pop, Earl Sweatshirt, & Chvrches | First Grulke Prizes are Awarded

113 Venues & Stages | Notable Showcasing Artists: Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell (Nashville TN), Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (Seattle WA), Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (London UK), The Zombies (St. Albans UK), Michael Kiwanuka (London UK), Joey Bada$$ & Pro Era (Brooklyn NY), Charli XCX (London UK), Icona Pop (Stockholm SWEDEN), Alt-J (Cambridge UK), Earl Sweatshirt (Los Angeles CA), Dawes (Los Angeles CA), Jake Bugg (Nottingham UK), Pharrell Williams (Virginia Beach VA), Kendrick Lamar (Compton CA), Haim (Los Angeles CA), Vampire Weekend (New York NY), John Fogerty (Berkeley CA), Prince (Minneapolis MN), Chvrches (Glasgow UK), Jim James (Louisville KY), Cafe Tacvba (Mexico City MEXICO), Omar Souleyman (Ras Al Ayn SYRIA), Autre Ne Veut (Brooklyn NY), Justin Timberlake (Los Angeles CA), Solange (Houston TX), Green Day (East Bay CA). Grulke Prize Winners: Following the untimely death of SXSW Creative Director Brent Grulke the previous August, the first Grulke Prizes are awarded to Chrvches (Developing Non-US Act), Haim (Developing US Act) and The Flaming Lips (Career Act)

2013
Steve Carrell, Olivia Wilde & Jim Carrey at "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" world premiere at SXSW Film 2013

Spring Breakers, Cheap Thrills, Drinking Buddies, and Good Ol’ Freda and More at SXSW Film

Notable Speakers: Danny Boyle, David Carr, Nick Cave, Michael Cera, Carlton Cuse, Shawn Fanning, Neil Gaiman, Selena Gomez, Harmony Korine, Chuck Lorre, Matthew McConaughey, Sean Parker, Sarah Silverman, Jeffrey Tambor’s Acting Workshop, Reggie Watts, Joss Whedon, Alex Winter, Lauren Zalaznick, Rob Zombie. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: 12 O’Clock Boys (Lotfy Nathan), Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton (Eric Slade & Stephen Silha), Cheap Thrills (E.L. Katz), Downloaded (Alex Winter), Drinking Buddies (Joe Swanberg), Euphonia (Danny Madden), Evil Dead (Fede Alvarez), Good Ol’ Freda (Ryan White), Hours (Eric Heisserer), Maidentrip (Jillian Schlesinger), The Punk Singer (Sini Anderson), The Short Game (Josh Greenbaum), Short Term 12 (Destin Daniel Cretton). Notable Talent: Simon Baker, Elizabeth Blackmore, Rose Byrne, Steve Carell, Jim Carrey, Snoop Dogg, Shiloh Fernandez, James Franco, Selena Gomez, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dave Grohl, Jake Johnson, Catherine Keener, Rachel Korine, Brie Larson, Jared Leto, Brit Marling, Matthew McConaughey, Radha Mitchell, Michelle Monaghan, Stevie Nicks, Ellen Page, Paul Rudd, Alexander Skarsgard, Dave Stewart, Lou Taylor Pucci, Paul Walker, Olivia Wilde

2013
Elon Musk (entrepreneur) at SXSW Interactive 2013

Interactive Keynotes: Opening Remarks from Bre Pettis (MakerBot), Plus Tina Roth Eisenberg, Elon Musk, Julie Uhrman, Matthew Inman and More

Notable Speakers: Bre Pettis (MakerBot) (Opening Remarks), Tina Roth Eisenberg (Swiss Miss), Elon Musk (SpaceX) as interviewed by Chris Anderson (3D Robotics), Julie Uhrman (Ouya) as interviewed by Joshua Topolsky (The Verge), Matthew Inman (The Oatmeal), Bruce Sterling (author), Esther Dyson (EDventure Holdings), Yuri Milner (Digital Sky Technologies), Jason Calcanis, Aileen Lee (Cowboy Ventures), Palmer Luckey, Neil Gaiman, Joi Ito, Soledad O’Brien, Dr. Jill Tarter (SETI), Tony Fadell (Nest), Scott McNealy (Wayin). In summer 2013, SXSW branched out away from Austin and held the first SXSW V2V conference in Las Vegas.

2013
Music Keynote: Dave Grohl

Music Keynote: Dave Grohl

188 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Clive Davis, Richard Thompson, Eric Burdon, Deadmau5 and Richie Hawtin, Jim James, Depeche Mode, Young Guru, 50 Cent, Nick Cave, Shel Talmy, Bootsy Collins and Chuck D, Stevie Nicks, Amanda Palmer, and More

2014
“That small, grass-roots event — which drew 700 people its inaugural year — has since mushroomed into SXSW, one of the largest and most influential gatherings on the planet.”  -USA Today

“That small, grass-roots event — which drew 700 people its inaugural year — has since mushroomed into SXSW, one of the largest and most influential gatherings on the planet.” -USA Today

2014
Foster the People, 2014. Photo by Nam Chau

2,371 Showcasing Artists: Coldplay, Tove Lo, Gary Numan & The Strypes

Notable Showcasing Artists: División Minúscula (Matamoros MEXICO), Coldplay (London UK), MS MR (New York NY), Wolf Alice (London UK), Wiz Khalifa (Pittsburgh PA), Gruff Rhys (Cardiff UK), The Strypes (Cavan IRELAND), Damon Albarn (London UK), Future Islands (Baltimore MD), Gary Numan (Los Angeles CA), Phantogram (Saratoga Springs NY), Foxboro Hot Tubs (Oakland CA), Phil and Dave Alvin (Los Angeles CA), Aloe Blacc (Los Angeles CA) MØ (Copenhagen DENMARK), Rhett Miller (Dallas TX), Echosmith (Los Angeles CA), Blondie (New York NY), St. Vincent (New York NY), Kelis (New York NY), Hyuna (Seoul SOUTH KOREA), Suzanne Vega (New York NY), Tove Lo (Stockholm SWEDEN). Milestones & Highlights: Take Me to the River showcase with North Mississippi All-Stars, Charlie Musslewhite, Bobby Rush, Ben Cauley and the Royal Horns of Memphis, Big Baby, Snoop Dogg, P-Nut, Al Kapone, Frayser Boy. Grulke Prize Winners: The Strypes (Developing Non-US Act), Future Islands (Developing US Act), Damon Albarn (Career Act)

2014
Music Keynote: Lady Gaga

Music Keynote: Lady Gaga

214 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Blondie, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Neil Young, Rahm Emanuel, Jarvis Cocker, Lil Wayne, Damon Wayans, Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent), Stuart Murdoch, Gary Numan, Ana Tijoux, and More.

2014
(L-R) Actors Thomas Middleditch, Zach Woods, Martin Starr, writer/director/producer Mike Judge, executive producer Alec Berg and actor Josh Brener attend 'SILICON VALLEY: Making the World a Better Place' during the 2016 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival at Austin Convention Center on March 12, 2016 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Steve Rogers Photography/Getty Images for SXSW)

Film Keynotes: Jason Blum, Lena Dunham, Casey Neistat & Marc Webb | Episodics launch

Notable Speakers: Tunde Adebimpe, Fred Armisen, Kevin Bacon, Jason Bateman, Carrie Brownstein, Adam Buxton, Nicolas Cage, Robert Duvall, Jon Favreau, David Gordon Green, Pete Horner of Skywalker Sound, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Mindy Kaling, Leonard Maltin, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Jeffrey Tambor’s Acting Workshop. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: 10,000KM (Carlos Marques-Marcet), Buzzard (Joel Potrykus), Chef (Jon Favreau), Creep (Patrick Brice), Evolution of a Criminal (Darius Clark Monroe), Harmontown (Neil Berkeley), Honeymoon (Leigh Janiak), Neighbors (Nicholas Stoller), Print the Legend (Luis Lopez & Clay Tweel), Silicon Valley HBO series (Mike Judge), Veronica Mars (Rob Thomas). Memorable Film Festival Screenings: Cesar Chavez (Diego Luna), Cosmos (Brannon Braga & Bill Pope), Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson). Notable Talent: Wes Anderson, Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell, Hannibal Buress, Nicolas Cage, Jerrod Carmichael, Jemaine Clement, Rosario Dawson, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Zac Efron, America Ferrera, Eva Green, Kathryn Hahn, Dan Harmon, Josh Hartnett, Ethan Hawke, John Leguizamo, Juliette Lewis, Diego Luna, Melanie Lynskey, Thomas Middleditch, Mike Myers, Kumail Nanjiani, Michael Pena, Imogen Poots, John Ridley, Jason Ritter, Seth Rogen, Alia Shawkat, Jeremy Sisto, Jenny Slate, Martin Starr, Elizabeth Streb, Tilda Swinton, Patrick Wilson, Elijah Wood, and More.

2014
Austin Kleon, a New York Times bestselling author of three books: Steal Like An Artist; Show Your Work!; and Newspaper Blackout at SXSW 2015. Photo by David Weaver.

Interactive Keynote: Austin Kleon, Plus SXSW Gaming Awards and Dewey Winburne Community Service Award Introduced

Keynotes: Austin Kleon (author) (Opening Remarks), Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson (astrophysicist), Anne Wojcicki (23andMe), Adam Savage (MythBusters), Chelsea Clinton (Clinton Foundation); Bruce Sterling (author) (Closing Remarks). Notable Speakers: Edward Snowden (whistleblower), Shaquile O’Neal (athlete), Ben Horowitz (Andreessen Horowitz), Jade Raymond (Ubisoft Toronto), Julia Allison (The Julia Allison Brand), Randi Zuckerberg (Zuckerberg Media). Notable Sessions: A Virtual Conversation with Edward Snowden; The Growing Impact of Games and Entertainment; Are We All Producers Now?, and More.

2015
Leon Bridges - Photo by Shelley Hiam

2,266 Showcasing Artists & 107 Stages: Leon Bridges, Courtney Barnett, Spoon & More

Notable Artists: The Residents (San Francisco CA), Courtney Barnett (Melbourne AUSTRALIA), Spoon (Austin TX), Leon Bridges (Fort Worth TX), Perfume (Hiroshima JAPAN), Hitchhiker (Seoul SOUTH KOREA), Songhoy Blues (Bamako MALI), Kate Tempest (London UK), Angel Olsen (Asheville NC), The Damned (London UK), Stromae (Brussels BELGIUM), Shamir (Las Vegas NV), James Bay (Hitchin UK), Ghostface Killah (New York NY), Seinabo Sey (Stockholm SWEDEN), Rae Sremmurd (Tupelo MS), Laura Marling (London UK), Real Estate (Ridgewood NJ), Vic Mensa (Chicago IL), Soak (Derry UK), Dipset (New York NY), Chance the Rapper & The Social Experiment (Chicago IL), The Church (Sydney AUSTRALIA), Swervedriver (Oxford UK), AWOLNATION (Los Angeles CA), Alvvays (Toronto CANADA), Natalie Prass (Nashville TN), DeJ Loaf (Detroit MI), Rangleklods (Copenhagen DENMARK), Waxahatchee (Philadelphia PA), Portugal. The Man (Anchorage AK), Torres (Brooklyn NY). Grulke Prize Winners: Courtney Barnett (Developing Non-US Act), Leon Bridges (Developing US Act), Spoon (Career Act)

2015
Snoop Dogg - Photo by Amanda Stronza

Music Keynote: Snoop Dogg

233 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Big Sean, Wyclef Jean, Wynonna Judd, The Church, Shepard Fairey, Will Butler, Paul Krugman, Chuck D, Gloria Trevi, Henry Rollins, and More

2015
SXSW Film 2015 Keynote Speaker Mark Duplass

Amy Schumer’s Trainwreck, an Exclusive preview of Mad Max: Fury Road, World Premiere of Furious 7 & the 30th Anniversary Screening of The Breakfast Club | Film Keynotes: Mark Duplass, Ava DuVernay, RZA, Christine Vachon

Notable Speakers: Sandra Adair, Geoff Barrow, Guillermo del Toro, Sally Field, Will Forte, Alex Garland, Ryan Gosling, Brian Grazer, Oscar Isaac, Phil Lord, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Chris Miller, Jeff Nichols, Randall Poster, Gina Prince-Bythewood, John Ridley, Henry Rollins, Amy Schumer, Michael Shannon, Morgan Spurlock, Derek Waters, Beau Willimon. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story (Sara Bordo), Brand: A Second Coming (Ondi Timoner), Deep Web (Alex Winter), The Final Girls (Todd Strauss-Schulson), Fresno (Jamie Babbit), Hello, My Name is Doris (Michael Showalter), Mavis! (Jessica Edwards), Raiders! (Jeremy Coon & Tim Skousen), Rolling Papers (Mitch Dickman), Sneakerheadz (David T. Friendly & Mick Partridge), Spy (Paul Feig), Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (Alex Gibney), The Invitation (Karyn Kusama), and too many more to mention! Notable Talent: Vanessa Bayer, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Steve Carell, Billy Crystal, Adam Devine, Robert Duvall, Taissa Farmiga, Will Ferrell, Sally Field, Josh Gad, Tyrese Gibson, Domhnall Gleeson, Ryan Gosling, Max Greenfield, Judy Greer, Rupert Grint, Bill Hader, Colin Hanks, Kevin Hart, Josh Hartnett, Oscar Isaac, Rashida Jones, Natasha Lyonne, Melissa McCarthy, Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, Aubrey Plaza, Molly Ringwald, Henry Rollins, Stephen Root, Leon Russell, Rosa Salazar, Amy Schumer, Ally Sheedy, Christian Slater, Mavis Staples, Jason Statham, Gloria Trevi, Reggie Watts, Elijah Wood, Neil Young.

2015
Princess Reema at SXSW Interactive 2015

Interactive Keynotes: Paola Antonelli, Princess Reema Bint Bandar Al-Saud, Martine Rothblatt, Logan Green & Astro Teller

Notable Speakers: Rand Paul (US Senator), Bill Gurley (Benchmark Capital), Malcolm Gladwell (author), Jonah Peretti (Buzzfeed), Gigi Sohn (FCC), Mellody Hobson (Ariel Investments), Eric Garcetti (Mayor of Los Angeles). Notable Sessions: Fair and Open: The FCC’s Broadband Future; Lessons from Buzzfeed; What Tech Startups Should Being Doing Next

2016
President Barack Obama - 2016 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival

“You know a party’s a big deal when the President crashes.” -USA Today

2016
SXSW Keynote: Michelle Obama - 2016 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival

Music Keynotes: Michelle Obama, Tony Visconti & James Prince

378 Panels, Workshops & Sessions | Notable Speakers: Angelique Kidjo, T-Pain, Kelly Rowland, Carmine Appice, Mark Mothersbaugh, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Nardwuar the Human Serviette, Jessica Hopper (Editorial Director, MTV News), Richie Hawtin, John Doe and Mike Watt, NOFX, Organized Noize, Butch Vig (Producer), Bob Rock (Producer), Mish Way (White Lung), Robert Glasper, Robert Ellis, Talib Kweli, Sadie Dupuis (Speedy Ortiz)

2016
2,224 Showcasing Artists: Iggy Pop, Låpsley, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals

2,224 Showcasing Artists: Iggy Pop, Låpsley, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals

Notable Artists: Diet Cig (New Paltz NY), Sunflower Bean (New York NY), Car Seat Headrest (Seattle WA), Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals (Oxnard CA), Loretta Lynn (Hurricane Mills TN), Bleached (Los Angeles CA), Kacey Musgraves (Nashville TN), Jake Bugg (Nottingham UK), Hinds (Madrid SPAIN), Charli XCX (Bishop’s Stortford UK), Mitski (Brooklyn NY), Troye Sivan (Perth AUSTRALIA), Lukas Graham (Copenhagen DENMARK), Fantastic Negrito (Oakland CA), Systema Solar (Cartagena COLOMBIA), Dayme Arocena (Habana CUBA), Margo Price (Nashville TN), Lucky Chops (New York NY), Erykah Badu (Dallas TX), Golden Dawn Arkestra (Austin TX), Shinyribs (Austin TX), Carrie Rodriguez (Austin TX), Jamie xx (London UK), AlunaGeorge (London UK), Deftones (Sacramento CA), George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic (Tallahassee FL), Richie Hawtin (Berlin GERMANY), Moodymann (Detroit MI), Ryan Adams and The Shining (Los Angeles CA), Dua Lipa (London UK), HÆLOS (London UK), Bayonne (Austin TX), Bill Converse (Austin TX), A Giant Dog (Austin TX), William Harries Graham & The Painted Redstarts (Austin TX), Residual Kid (Austin TX), Intocable (Zapata TX). Grulke Prize Winners: Låpsley (Developing Non-US Act), Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals (Developing US Act), Iggy Pop (Career Act)

2016
Film Keynotes: Nelson George, Gale Anne Hurd, Ellen Page and Ian Daniel & Joel Swanberg | Work-in-progress screenings of Keanu and Sausage Party

Film Keynotes: Nelson George, Gale Anne Hurd, Ellen Page and Ian Daniel & Joel Swanberg | Work-in-progress screenings of Keanu and Sausage Party

Notable Speakers: J.J. Abrams, Andrew Bujalski, Don Cheadle, Nonny de la Pena, Mark and Jay Duplass, Joel Edgerton, John Gaeta, Llana Glazer, Ira Glass, Sarah Green, Jake Gyllenhaal, Gaby Hoffmann, Abbi Jacobson, Mike Judge, Barbara Kopple, David Lowery, Rami Malek, Chris Milk, Alia Shawkat, Christian Slater, Kerry Washington. World Premiere Film Festival Highlights: 9 Rides (Matthew A. Cherry), Beware The Slenderman (Irene Taylor Brodsky), Donald Cried (Kris Avedisian), Don’t Think Twice (Mike Birbiglia), Everybody Wants Some (Richard Linklater), In a Valley of Violence (Ti West), Jean of the Joneses (Stella Meghie), Master Cleanse (Bobby Miller), My Blind Brother (Sophie Goodhart), Operator (Logan Kibbens), Pee-wee’s Big Holiday (John Lee), Preacher (Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg), The Bandit (Jesse Moss), Tony Robbins: I am Not Your Guru (Joe Berlinger), Vice Principals (Jody Hill, David Gordon Green, Danny McBride). Notable Talent: J.J. Abrams, Mike Birbliglia, Betsy Brandt, James Caan, Don Cheadle, Kirsten Dunst, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ethan Hawke, Tyler Hoechlin, Gaby Hoffmann, Gillian Jacobs, Zoe Kazan, Keegan-Michael Key, Nick Kroll, Rami Malek, Thomas Middleditch, Ruth Negga, Ellen Page, Jordan Peele, Michael Peña, Lily Rabe, Paul Reubens, Burt Reynolds, Seth Rogen, Michael Shannon, Alia Shawkat, Alexander Skarsgård, Jenny Slate, Christian Slater, Martin Starr, Kerry Washington, Mae Whitman, Elijah Wood

2016
President Barack Obama - 2016 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival

Interactive Keynote: President Barack Obama with Evan Smith of the Texas Tribune

Notable Speakers: Casey Gerald (MBA’s Across America), Dr. Brene Brown Keynote (Best-selling author), Trae Vassallo & Michele Madasnky (co-authors of Elephant in the Valley), Kevin Plank (Under Armour), Andy Puddicombe (Headspace), Stewart Butterfield (Slack), Jose Andres (chef, SouthBites, convergence), Amber Venz (rewardStyle, SXstyle, Convergence), Megan Smith (CTO of the United States)

2017
“SXSW 2017 is a mélange of ideas for those who are willing to think outside the box. It is difficult to classify this event, for it is more than just a festival for music, film, or technology. By meshing all these fields together, it forces the participant to realize that new, rich ideas emerge when concepts cross multiple boundaries.”  -NBCNews

“SXSW 2017 is a mélange of ideas for those who are willing to think outside the box. It is difficult to classify this event, for it is more than just a festival for music, film, or technology. By meshing all these fields together, it forces the participant to realize that new, rich ideas emerge when concepts cross multiple boundaries.” -NBCNews

2017
SXSW Conference Becomes a unified event with 24 tracks across Interactive, Film, Music & Convergence

SXSW Conference Becomes a unified event with 24 tracks across Interactive, Film, Music & Convergence

Interactive: Jennifer Doudna, Adam Grant, and Yasmin Green | Film: Lee Daniels, Gareth Edwards, and Jill Soloway | Music: Garth Brooks, Zane Lowe, and Nile Rodgers | Convergence: Cory Richards and Jessica Shortall

2017
A$AP Rocky and Gorden Wagener speak onstage at their Featured Session: Using Design "Differently" to Make a Difference.

A$AP Rocky, Marie Kondo, Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss & More

Notable Conference Speakers – Interactive and Convergence Tracks: Dean Baquet, Senator Cory Booker, Anthony Bossis, Amber Venz Box, Diane Bryant, Steve Case, Vint Cerf, Scott Cook, Beth Comstock, Andrew Coy, Kate Crawford, Mark Cuban, Nick Denton, Gregory F. Fenves, Tim Ferriss, Bill Ford, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Dr. Hiroshi Ishiguro, Van Jones, Guy Kawasaki, David Karp, Talib Kweli, Parag Khanna, Marie “KonMari” Kondo, Amy Kurzweil, Ray Kurzweil, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the cast of Veep, Adam Lyons, Dan Lyons, Michele Madansky, Bob Metcalfe, Kimbal Musk, Doug Newcomb, Alexis Ohanian, Bob Odenkirk and Fred Armisen, Peggy Orenstein, Sonya M. Pryor-Jones, Cecile Richards, Kara Swisher, Noor Tagouri, Nick Thompson, Ingrid Vanderveldt, Gary Vaynerchuk, Cindy Wilson (B-52s), Whitney Wolfe, and Dr. Dieter Zetsche, and more.

2017
SXSW Music Festival | 2,085 Showcasing Artists & 104 Stages

SXSW Music Festival | 2,085 Showcasing Artists & 104 Stages

Notable Artists: Garth Brooks (Tulsa, OK), Grupo Fantasma (Austin, TX), The Roots (Philadelphia, PA), Lady Antebellum (Nashville, TN),Turquoise Jeep (Atlanta, GA), Blaenavon (Liphook, UK), Cherry Glazerr (Los Angeles, CA), Suzanne Ciani (San Francisco, CA), Sven Helbig (Dresden, Germany), Graham Reynolds (Austin, TX), Bilal (Philadelphia, PA), Orpheu The Wizard (Amsterdam, Netherlands), Walker Lukens (Austin, TX), Benjamin Booker (Virginia Beach, VA), Chicano Batman (Los Angeles, CA), Quin Galavis (Austin, TX), Lizzo (Minneapolis, MN), Hurray For The Riff Raff (Bronx, NY), Bridgit Mendler (Los Angeles, CA), Kano (London, UK), Wu-Tang Clan (Staten Island, NY), Thievery Corporation (Washington, DC), Future Islands (Baltimore, MD), Sam Gellaitry (Stirling, UK), Girlpool (Los Angeles, CA), Metro Boomin (Atlanta, GA), 2 CHAINZ (Atlanta, GA), AJ Tracey (London, UK), Noname (Chicago, IL), French Montana (New York, NY), Residente (San Juan, Puerto Rico), Hippo Campus (Woodbury, MN), Sundara Karma (Reading, UK), Sigrid (Ålesund, Norway), Grandaddy (Modesto, CA), Gucci Mane (Atlanta, GA), Let’s Eat Grandma (Norwich, UK), Marie Davidson (Montreal, Canada), Lil Wayne (New Orleans, LA), Cindy Wilson (Athens, GA), Jidenna (Wisconsin Rapids, WI), Solange (Houston, TX), Priests (Washington, DC), Pussy Riot Theatre (Moscow, Russia), S U R V I V E (Austin, TX), Forth Wanderers (Montclair, NJ), The Drums (New York, NY), Jain (Paris, France), The Lemon Twigs (Hicksville, NY), Sweet Spirit (Austin, TX), Jimmy Eat World (Phoenix, AZ), Sløtface (Oslo, Norway), Maleek Berry (London, UK), Charly Black (Trelawny, Jamaica), Red Velvet (Seoul, South Korea), La Dame Blanche (Pinar Del Rio, Cuba).

Grulke Prize Winners: Jain (Developing Non-US Act), The Lemon Twigs (Developing US Act), and Robyn Hitchcock (Career Act)

2017
Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver, James Franco’s The Disaster Artist, Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde & More from SXSW Film

Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver, James Franco’s The Disaster Artist, Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde & More from SXSW Film

Notable 2017 Premieres: Films – Baby Driver, The Disaster Artist, Atomic Blonde, Most Beautiful Island, The Work, Gemini, Mr. Roosevelt, Small Town Crime, Infinity Baby, Two Pigeons, May it Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers, Spettacolo, Lucky. Episodics – American Gods, Dear White People. | Notable 2017 Talent: Michael Fassbender, Rooney Mara, Nick Offerman, Jon Hamm, Ansel Elgort, Frank Oz, Jake Johnson, Josh Duhamel, Bill Pullman, John Hawkes, Octavia Spencer, Anthony Anderson, Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, Nick Thune, Noel Wells, Megan Mullally, Kevin Corrigan, Martin Starr, George Lazenby, Pierce Brosnan, Lola Kirke, Zoe Kravitz, John Cho, James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Alison Brie, Melissa McCarthy, Armie Hammer, Melissa Leo, Josh Lucas, Juno Temple, Peter Fonda, Judd Apatow, Kumail Nanjiani, Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, Ryan Reynolds, John Carroll Lynch, GianCarlo Esposito, Lena Olin, Stephanie Beatriz, Danny McBride, Ridley Scott, Katherine Waterston, Wyatt Cenac, Bill Nye, Francesca Eastwood, Harry Dean Stanton, Jim Caviezel, Matt Bomer, Ari Graynor, Katherine Moennig

2018
Keynote Barry Jenkins – Photo by Travis P. Ball/Getty images

2018 SXSW Conference Keynotes

Keynotes Interactive: Esther Perel, and Melinda Gates
Keynotes Conversation: Linda Perry and Kerry Brown
Keynotes Film: Barry Jenkins, and Darren Aronofsky
Keynotes Music: Lyor Cohen
Keynotes Convergence: Mayor Sadiq Khan, Nonny de la Peña, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and whurley

2018
Billie Eilish - Photo by Nolan Weinschenk

2,058 Showcasing Artists: Billie Eilish, Jay Park, Khalid & Starcrawler

2,058 Showcasing Artists, 304 Panels, Workshops & Sessions, 100 Venues & Stages | Notable Artists: Jay Park (Seoul SOUTH KOREA), Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (Denver CO), Keith Urban (Nashville TN), Khalid (El Paso TX), Billie Eilish (Highland Park CA), Rae Sremmurd (Atlanta GA), METZ (Toronto CANADA), Max Richter (London UK-ENGLAND), AJ Tracey (London UK-ENGLAND), Bad Gyal (Barcelona SPAIN), Sunflower Bean (New York NY), Kelela (Washington DC), Princess Nokia (New York NY), Andrew W.K. (New York NY), Sylvan Esso (Durham NC), Suzi Wu (London UK-ENGLAND), Nancy Whang (Brooklyn NY), IDLES (Bristol UK-ENGLAND), Sudan Archives (Los Angeles CA), Snail Mail (Baltimore MD), Pussy Riot (Moscow RUSSIA), Action Bronson (Queens NY), Tinashe (Los Angeles CA), Talib Kweli (Brooklyn NY), Stella Donnelly (Fremantle AUSTRALIA), Roky Erickson (Austin TX), Preservation Hall Jazz Band (New Orleans LA), Lucy Dacus (Richmond VA), Tennis (Denver CO), Bully (Nashville TN), Zara McFarlane (Dagenham UK-ENGLAND), Soccer Mommy (Nashville TN), Duckwrth (Los Angeles CA), Shamir (Las Vegas NV), BODEGA (Brooklyn NY), Hatchie (Brisbane AUSTRALIA) | Grulke Prize Winners: Jade Bird (Developing Non-US Act), Starcrawler (Developing US Act), and Todd Rundgren (Career Act)

2018
Emily Blunt and John Krasinski before the World Premiere of A Quiet Place, SXSW 2018’s Opening Night Film.

A Quiet Place, Blockers, Ready Player One, Isle of Dogs (North American Premiere) Thunder Road & More

Notable Films: – A Quiet Place, Blockers, Ready Player One, Isle of Dogs (North American Premiere) Thunder Road, The New Romantic, First Match, Jinn, People’s Republic of Desire,TransMilitary, Galveston, Support the Girls, A Vigilante, The Dawn Wall, The Director and the Jedi, Profile, Prospect, Upgrade, All Square. Episodics – Vida, The Last O.G., Barry.

Notable Talent: John Krasiniski, Emily Blunt, Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, John Cena, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Wes Anderson, Abbi Jacobson, Dave Franco, Ben Foster, Elle Fanning, Rachel Bloom, Adam Pally, Regina Hall, Olivia Wilde, Molly Shannon, Rian Johnson, Mark Hamill, Lena Waithe, Steven Spielberg, Jason Blum, Tiffany Haddish, Tracy Morgan, Bill Hadar, Ethan Hawke, Spike Lee, Boots Riley, Armie Hammer, Steven Yeun, Omari Hardwick, Jermaine Fowler. Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Justin Hartley, Dan Fogelman, Jay Duplass, Edie Falco, Danny McBride, Josh Brolin, Jim Gaffigan, Daryl Hannah, Nick Offerman, Vera Farmiga, Bob Balaban, Evan Peters, Lauren Lapkus, Lucy Hale, Jason Schwartzman

2018
Christiane Amanpour & Kara Swisher – Photo by Kaylin Balderrama

Christiane Amanpour, Bernie Sanders, Bozoma Saint John, Darren Aronofsky, Ira Glass & More

Notable Speakers: José Andrés, Darren Aronofsky, Christiane Amanpour, Ernest Cline, Katie Couric, Kim Deal, Ray Dalio, Ira Glass, Shakey Graves, Spike Lee, Whitney Wolfe Herd, Barry Jenkins, Bozoma Saint John, Ezra Klein, Joseph Lubin, Matthew McConaughey, Elon Musk, Thandie Newton, Daniel Pink, Priscilla Presley, Roy Spence, Beto O’Rourke, Tim O’Reilly, Noor Tagouri, Mayor Michael Tubbs, Keith Urban, Ingrid Vanderveldt, Amy Webb, Susan Wojcicki, Andrew Zimmern, and more.

2019
iKON at SXSW 2019 - Photo by Adam Kissick

1,964 Showcasing Artists: Angie McMahon, Lizzo, The Beths, & iKON

1,964 showcasing artists, 94 Venues & Stages | Notable Artists: Amanda Palmer, Amyl & The Sniffers, Andrew Bird, The Beths, Black Midi, Black Pumas, Broken Social Scene, BRONCHO, Cherry Glazerr, The Chills, Cimafunk, Cuco, Deerhunter, Delaporte, Dungeon Family feat. Big Boi, Goodie Mob, & Organized Noize’s Sleepy Brown, Ecko, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, Ezra Collective, Fontaines D.C., Graham Coxon, HÆLOS, IKON, KOKOKO!, Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers, Lizzo, Mabiland, Angie McMahon, Megan Thee Stallion, Mr Eazi, Patti Griffin, Odette, Oh Sees, J.S. Ondara, Otoboke Beaver, Pink Sweat$, PNTHN, Rico Nasty, Robert Ellis, Say Sue Me, Soft Kill, Steve Earle & the Dukes, The Strumbellas, Swervedriver, Trupa Trupa, Vacations, Viagra Boys, Westerman, X Ambassadors, and Yung Baby Tate, Yung Lean

2019
Jason Clarke and Amy Seimetz attend the Pet Sematary premiere at the Paramount Theatre.

South by Southwest is known for launching smart studio films and buzzy independent movies. It all happens against a backdrop of tacos, beer, and keynote speeches from influential artists and world leaders. In 2019, SXSW might have had one of its best years ever.” – Variety

2019
Us, Long Shot, Pet Sematary & More from SXSW Film

Us, Long Shot, Pet Sematary & More from SXSW Film

Notable 2019 World Premieres: Us, Booksmart, Good Boys, The Highwaymen, Beach Bum, Long Shot, Pet Sematary, For Sama, Villains, Sword of Trust, Running with Beto, The Curse of La Llorona, Olympic Dreams, Kathy Griffin: A Hell of a Story, The Art of Self-Defense, The River and the Wall. Episodics: What We Do in the Shadows, Ramy, Shrill, David Makes Man, NOS4A2

2019
Olivia Wilde Film Keynote - Photo by Danny Matson

SXSW Conference Keynotes

Keynotes Interactive: Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom, Joseph Lubin, Roger McNamee Keynotes Film: Marti Noxon, Olivia Wilde, PJ Raval Keynotes Music: T Bone Burnett, Adam Horovitz and Michael Diamond, Shirley Manson and Lauren Mayberry Keynotes Convergence: John Boehner, Dawn Ostroff, Matt Lieber, and Michael Mignano, Bozoma Saint John, The Next Form of Storytelling: The Future of Technology-Enabled Entertainment, Kathy Griffin with Kara Swisher, Jessica Brillhart

2019
2019 Featured Speaker, Esther Perel - Photo by Chris Saucedo/Getty Images for SXSW

Esther Perel, Elisabeth Moss, Senator Elizabeth Warren & Nile Rodgers

Notable Speakers: Stacey Abrams, Pamela Adlon, Lance Bass, Taylor Bennett, Brené Brown, Kimberly Bryant, Jason Blum, Priscilla Chan, Jodie Foster, Neil Gaiman, Laura Jane Grace, Arlan Hamilton, Noah Hawley, Stephanie McMahon, Elisabeth Moss, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Frank Oz, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lola Plaku, Michael Pollan, Eli Pariser, Nile Rodgers, Bruce Sterling, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Amy Webb, Olivia Wilde, Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss, and more.

2020
Prime Video presents the SXSW 2020 Film Festival Collection

SXSW Film Festival 2020

Following the City of Austin’s cancellation of the 2020 event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SXSW Film Festival partnered with Amazon Prime Video to present the SXSW 2020 Film Festival Collection with 39 projects from the 2020 lineup available to audiences online. The Festival also presented nearly all of the Shorts Program online in association with Osciliscope and Mailchimp. Since many Special Awards had already been in place, once filmmakers opted in, all juried competitions were held. Shithouse directed by Cooper Raiff won the 2020 Narrative Competition Grand Jury Award and An Elephant in the Room directed by Katrine Philp won the 2020 Documentary Grand Jury Award.

2020
SXSW speakers, Judd Apatow and Stephen Colbert

SXSW Sessions Online 2020

Following the City of Austin's cancelation of the 2020 event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SXSW worked to virtually bring the SX community some of the great discussions we would have had in March. A weekly live series, SXSW Sessions Online, was created to feature 2020 speakers virtually including Stephen Colbert, Lori Gottlieb, Kwame Onwuachi, Bobby Berk, ReNika Moore, Rohit Bhargava, Matthew McConaughey, Amy Webb and more.

2021
SXSW Online Conference Keynotes

SXSW Online Conference Keynotes

Willie Nelson, Pete Buttigieg, Stacey Abrams with N.K. Jemisin, Charles Yu with Lisa Ling, and Priya Parker with Anand Giridharadas.

Franklin Leonard and Ava DuVernay at SXSW Online 2021
2021
Franklin Leonard and Ava DuVernay at SXSW Online 2021

Ava DuVernay, Mick Fleetwood, James Cameron, & More

Featured Speakers: Queen Latifah, Taraji P. Henson, Barry Jenkins, Matthew McConaughey, Baratunde Thurston, Samantha Bee, Sir Richard Branson, Elizabeth Banks, Mayim Bialik, Mary J. Blige, James Cameron, David Dobrik, Melinda Gates, Lori Gottlieb, Bill Hader, Yuval Noah Harari, Noah Hawley, Walter Isaacson, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Carole King, Amy Klobuchar, Demi Lovato, Desus Nice and the Kid Mero, Alexis Ohanian, Jon Platt, Mark Rabkin, Amber Ruffin, The Russo Brothers, President George W. Bush, Indra Nooyi, Ava DuVernay, Chance the Rapper, Kenan Thompson, Werner Vogels, Mick Fleetwood, Ole Obermann, Don Lemon, Jemele Hill, Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

2021
SXSW 2021 Film Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil

Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil, Alone Together & More From SXSW Film

Headliners: Opening Night: Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil, Closing Night: Alone Together Featuring Charli XCX, and Centerpiece: Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free

Features: Alien on Stage, Delia Derbyshire: The Myths and the Legendary Tapes, Disintegration Loops, The End of Us, The Fallout, Gaia, Here Before, The Hunt for Planet B, Hysterical, Jakob’s Wife, Lily Topples the World, Luchadoras, Recovery, R#J, Sound of Violence, Sparks Brothers, Swan Song, United States vs. Reality Winter, Violet, When Claude Got Shot

Episodics: Confronting a Serial Killer, Cruel Summer, The Girlfriend Experience, Made for Love, Sasquatch, Them

2021
Paupière at SXSW Online 2021 - Photo by Camille Drouin-Gladu

238 Showcasing Artists: Indigo Sparke, Yung Baby Tate, Steady Holiday, & More

2021 Notable Artists: 67 showcases; roughly 283 artists of which over 200 are international and represent 37 foreign countries. A Place To Bury Strangers, Alice Skye, Alien Tango, Anna B Savage, Awich, Baker Boy, Black Country, New Road; The Chats, Choses Sauvages, Clipping, Dingo Bells, DUCKWRTH, Francisca Valenzuela, THE GOA EXPRESS, Golden Dawn Arkestra, Grrrl Gang, HAEPAARY, Haru Nemuri, Holy Fuck, Indigo Sparke, Jade Jackson & Aubrie Sellers, Jambinai, Katy J Pearson, Kee’ahn, Kinky, Magdalena Bay, Onipa, Otoboke Beaver, Pillow Queens, Say Sue Me, Sinead O’Brien, Sorry, Squid, Steady Holiday, TEKE :: TEKE, Theon Cross, Tuyo, Vocal Vidas, Walt Disco, Ximena Sariñana, and Yung Baby Tate.

Showcases and presenter Highlights: AfroFuture Sounds (British Underground & DAJU Presents), Hotel Vegas & Hotel Free TV, Damnably, EQ Austin, Jazz re:freshed Outernational, FOCUS Wales, Roskilde Festival, Taiwan Beats, Close Encounter Club, Sounds from Spain, M for Montreal, Flipped Coin KOREA, Carefree Black Girl, New Zealand Music, KUTX The Breaks, Dedstrange, Fierce Panda x End of the Trail, Brazil Inspires the Future and ÅÄÖ...Sounds Swedish, Mercury KX, British Music Embassy, Brooklyn Vegan, Black Fret, NPR Tiny Desk Meets SXSW.

Filming locations include: Taoist temple in Taiwan, a cable car in Norway, a Los Angeles freeway overpass, Abbey Road Studios and the 606 Club in London, the historic Leith Theatre in Scotland, suburban and bush backyards across Australia, a café-floriculture in Brazil, and Austin hometown favorites Hotel Vegas and Empire Control Room & Garage.

2022
Dolly Parton – SXSW 2022 – Photo by Tina Rataj

1,500 showcasing artists: Dolly Parton, Shawn Mendes, Sammy Hagar and the Circle, Japanese Breakfast, Wet Leg

2022 Notable Artists: 79 stages featuring 1,500 artists of which over 400 were international and represented over 50 foreign countries. Artists included Dolly Parton, Kygo, Shawn Mendes, Sebastian Yatra, Golden Dawn Arkestra, Sammy Hagar and the Circle, Mt Joy, Poppy Ajudha, bbymutha, Shamir, Sunflower Bean, Wet Leg, Japanese Breakfast, Moonchild Sanelly, DeVita, Priya Ragu, Yard Act, Nova Twins, SASAMI, María Toledo, Baby Queen, Quin NFN, Sudan Archives, MUNA, Perfume Genius, Paris Jackson, CHAI, Jade Bird, Kyla Imani, The Lemonheads. Surfbort, ANAVITÓRIA, Claire Rousay, James McMurtry, Ezra Furman, Moor Mother, BLACKSTARKIDS, Circuit Des Yeux, The Dream Syndicate, Los Bitchos, Tuyo, Madison McFerrin, Pom Pom Squad, Balming Tiger, Jackie Venson, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Houndmouth, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, Cassandra Jenkins, CHAI, Circuit Des Yeux, Claud, Delta Spirit, Fireboy DML, Horsegirl, James McMurtry, Omeretta The Great, Perfume Genius, Poppy Ajudha, Priya Ragu, Surfbort, Tessellated, T-Pain, Wande Coal, Yard Act, and CIFIKA.

Showcases presented by some of our longtime partners and newcomers include: The Anniversary Group, Atomic Music Group, Balming Tiger, Joyful Noise, Beats from Africa, Bella Union 25th Anniversary, Black Fret, British Music Embassy, British Underground, Bushwig, Care Free Black Girl, Devil In The Woods, DIY Magazine, Empire Agency, Fire Records, Focus Wales, Futuristic Femmes, Island Wave, Italians Do It Better, Jaded, Jazz re:freshed Outernational, KUTX - The Breaks, The Legendary SOB.’s, Marca Ùnica, New West Records, Park the Van, POP Montreal, Qobuz, Rolling Loud, Saddest Factory, Song Exploder, Sounds from Spain, Space Agency, SPIN, and WOMEX.

2022
2022 Film Festival History

2022 Film Festival History

2022 marked the return to in-person screenings, and audiences came out to celebrate the wide range of work presented at the festival. Opening Night Film Everything Everywhere All At Once and Closing Night Headliner FX’s Atlanta Season 3 Premiere, were adored. Narrative, Documentary and TV Premiere program highlights include: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood, Bodies Bodies Bodies,X, Spin Me Round, The Locust, The Lost City, Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart, DMZ, and The Last Movie Stars, More Than Robots, Bad Axe, Descendant, Diamond Hands: The Legend of WallStreetBets, Fire of Love, Kids in The Hall: Comedy Punks, Still Working 9 to 5, Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down, We Feed People, Facing Nolan,Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off, Sheryl, Mickey: The Story of a Mouse, The Man Who Fell To Earth, Shining Girls, WeCrashed, They Call Me Magic. The Narrative Jury Winner was I Love My Dad and the Documentary Jury winner was Master of Light. Other award winners included Everything Everywhere All At Once, It is In Us All, Bad Axe, Pez Outlaw, What We Leave Behind, Chee$e, A Vanishing Fog. Nicolas Cage was presented the 40 years of Massive Talent Award at the awards Ceremony.

2022
Lizzo and Angela Yee at SXSW 2022

SXSW Conference History

Keynotes: Alexis McGill Johnson, Reggie Fils-Aimé, Lizzo, Celine Tricart, Maria Ressa, Kevin Mayer and Michael Kassan with Cynthia Littleton, Neal Stephenson, Nabil Ayers with Andy Langer, Beck, Michelle Zauner

Featured Speakers: Sarah Bond, Jack Conte, Roman Coppola, Ebro Darden, Rana el Kaliouby, Stephanie McMahon, Erika Nardini, Kelly Wearstler, Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, Julia Cheek, Maëlle Gavet, Ann Hiatt, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Emily Ma, Ghazi, Hari Ravichandran, Andrew Zimmern, Dr. Albert Bourla, Amber Venz Box, Sandy Carter, Ericka J. Coulter, Michael Dell, Sandy Fershee, Jason Isbell, Marc Lore, Jim McKelvey, Merck Mercuriadis, Linda Perry, Nile Rodgers, Vlad Tenev, Jill Tiefenthaler, Margrethe Vestager, Sara Bareilles, BEEPLE, Cast of The Boys, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Mark Cuban, Greg Daniels, James Ellroy, Falon Fatemi, Scott Galloway, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sec. Deb Haaland, Tristan Harris, Frances Haugen, Ethan Hawke, Noah Hawley, Rashida Jones, Donna Langley, Ben McKenzie, Jonathan Van Ness, Bob Odenkirk, Guy Raz, Chrissy Teigen, Noah Oppenheim, Busy Philipps, Al Roker, Tye Sheridan, Jim VandeHei, Pam Wasserstein, Pete Buttigieg, Audie Cornish, Brian Eno, Brett Goldstein, Ron Howard, Brendan Hunt, Gillian Jacobs, Daniel Kwan, Beto O'Rourke, Nathaniel Rateliff, Alison Roman, Beatriz Luengo, Ju’Niyah Palmer, Priya Parker, Marty Walsh, and more.

2023
1,577 showcasing artists: The Zombies, The Orielles, Blondshell, Feid, Obongjayar

1,577 showcasing artists: The Zombies, The Orielles, Blondshell, Feid, Obongjayar

2023 Notable Artists: 78 stages; over 1,577 artists of which over 525 were international and represented over 60 foreign countries. Artists included Armani White, Balming Tiger, be your own PET, The Black Angels, Blondshell, Coco & Clair Clair, Cuco, Diana Burco, Duke Dumont, Eladio Carrion, Feid, Isabella Lovestory, J.I.D, Koffee, KX5 ( Kaskade & Deadmau5), Killer Mike, Laraaji, The Lemon Twigs, Maiya The Don, Mariah the Scientist, Michigander, New Order, Obongjayar, Oracle Sisters, The Orielles, OSEES, Otoboke Beaver, Paraísos, Peter One, Protomartyr, Remi Wolf, Ric Wilson, ROGÊ, RVG, The Scratch, Sobs, Spill Tab, Sudan Archives, Sunflower Bean, Tangerine Dream, Thao, Thus Love, Tomberlin, Venbee, and The Zombies.

Some of the year’s influential showcase presenters included Alcopop! Records, ATC Live, Baby’s All Right, Bad Time Records, Bayonet Records, BBC Introducing, BMI Sonidos, BreakOut West, British Music Embassy, Canela Music, Captured Tracks, Dance to the Radio, DAWA Heals, DEL Records, EMPIRE, Father/Daughter Records, Fierce Panda Records, Fire Talk, FOCUS Wales, globalFEST, Gold Diggers, Good Karma Club, Gorilla vs Bear, High Road Touring, Iceland Airwaves, Italians Do It Better, Jazz re:freshed Outernational, Kill Rock Stars, Leafy Outlook, M for Montreal, Marshall Music, Mint Talent Group, Music From Ireland, New West Records, NME x Bose, NoiseCoPerfectly Imperfect, Post-Trash, PRIMA Fund, Rolling Loud, Taiwan Beats, Vibe Magazine, and Wide Days Scotland.

2023
"Joy Ride" Q&A - SXSW 2023 - Photo by Claudio Fox

SXSW 2023 Film & TV History

2023 saw the SXSW Film Festival change its name to Film & TV Festival, a reflection of the strong TV programming the festival has consistently showcased for years. Claudette Godfrey took leadership as VP Film & TV while Janet Pierson, who had been at the helm of the festival for 15 years, transitioned to the new role of Director Emieritus. 2023 also made history for SXSW’s connection to the Academy Awards. Not only were the Oscars held during the festival for the first time ever, but Everything Everywhere All at Once, SXSW 2022’s Opening Night Film, swept the Academy Awards with 11 nominations and seven wins for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress for Yeoh, Best Supporting Actor for Ke Huy Quan, Best Supporting Actress for Jamie Lee Curtis, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing, becoming the first film to win six above-the-line Oscars.

Official selections from the 2023 program that resonated with critics and audiences included Opening Night film Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Opening Night TV premiere Swarm, Closing Night Film Air and Closing Night TV Premiere Beef. Other narrative feature highlights included Joy Ride, Bottoms, John Wick 4, Evil Dead Rise, Problemista, Tetris, BlackBerry, Furies, Down Low, Parachute, Story Ave, and Talk to Me. Among documentaries, highlights included: Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, Love to Love You, Donna Summer, Wild Life, It’s Only Life After All. TV Premieres also included I’m a Virgo, Slip, Demascus, Mrs. Davis, The Big Door Prize, Lucky Hank, The Luckiest Guy in the World, and American Born Chinese. The 2023 Narrative Jury Award Winner was Raging Grace, while the Documentary Jury Award Winner was Angel Applicant. Other feature award winners included: Another Body, The Ladybird Diaries, The Herricanes, Confessions of a Good Samaritan, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, Chronicles of a Wandering Saint, and Fancy Dance. Prolific independent producer Lizzie Shapiro, whose SXSW premieres include Parachute, Story Ave, Mickey and the Bear and Shiva Baby, won the inaugural Janet Pierson Champion Award.

2023
SXSW Conference History

SXSW Conference History

Keynotes: Priyanka Chopra-Jonas with Jennifer Salke, José Andrés, Ryan Gellert, Tilda Swinton, NASA’s Webb Space Telescope, New Order, William Shatner, Margo Price

Featured Speakers: Sandy Carter, Allyson Felix, Alexandra Reeve Givens, Chris Hyams, Daniel Lubetzky, Guy Moot, Cecile Richards, Sophia Roe, Douglas Rushkoff, Nabiha Syed, Amy Webb, David Chang, Julia Ducournau, Valerie June, Miranda Kerr, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, Cheech Marin, Hamilton Morris, Esther Perel, Ginni Rometty, Kara Swisher, Anne Wojcicki, Eric André, Blxst, Josh D'Amaro, Ashley Flowers, Gottmik, Nick Jonas, Martin Luther King III, Damon Lindelof, Eva Longoria, Alexis Ohanian, Maya Penn, Austin Russell, RZA, Dan Schulman, Cheryl Strayed, Jen Wong, Mary Barra, Brian Baumgartner, Kristen Bell, Greg Brockman, Tarana Burke, Karen Civil, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Sumbul Ahmad Desai, Daveed Diggs, Robert Downey Jr., Tim Ferris, Representative Maxwell Frost, Paul Giamatti, Chelsea Handler, Ed Helms, Michael Kassan, Troy Kotsur, John Leguizamo, Chelsea Manning, Keith Morrison, Jen Psaki, William Shatner, Dax Shepard, Tye Sheridan and more.

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