SXSW leaves Texas for east London: is this the end of an era?
- SXSW is moving its festival to East London in summer 2025, building on its significant global reputation.
- The inaugural edition will feature 420 sessions and will take place across 29 different venues.
- This expansion is part of a broader strategic effort to engage a diverse audience and evolve the festival's programming.
In 2025, the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, known for its influential focus on music, film, and technology, will make its debut in London, UK, after established prominence in Austin, Texas since 1987. The festival is set to occur in June and will feature a week of activities, including over 420 sessions scheduled across 29 different venues ranging from galleries to nightclubs. This expansion marks a significant transition as SXSW aims to reflect a multicultural experience that appeals to a global audience, specifically targeting attendees from the Middle East and North Africa, who find London more accessible than other European cities. Prior to the event, organizers have opened applications for contributors and audiences worldwide, cleverly opting for a democratic approach that allows the public to participate in shaping the conference program. With over 2,700 submissions already received—more than double the anticipated number—submissions will go through an assessment process by three curators to ensure a diverse range of selected content. The inclusion of viewers in the programming process highlights SXSW's commitment to community involvement, offering a platform that celebrates innovation while delivering engaging content to the attendees. Despite the festival’s growth, the Austin iteration faced challenges, including financial issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic which led to the cancellation of the event in 2020. After a two-year hiatus, the festival returned in 2022 in a hybrid format with significant investment from Penske Media’s P-MRC Holdings to stabilize its operations. However, controversies have also marked the festival's history; most notably, a backlash against its partnership with the U.S. military led to major acts withdrawing from the 2023 event. In light of these criticisms, management has revisited and adjusted their sponsorship model to ensure that certain organizations, such as weapons manufacturers and military entities, do not sponsor future iterations of the festival. The festival's organizers, led by programming director Katy Arnander, hope that the new London edition, which they describe as an