South by Southwest

South by Southwest, annual music, film, and interactive media conference held in Austin, Texas, U.S.

South by Southwest (SXSW) began in 1987 as the South by Southwest Music and Media Conference when a promotion company, South by Southwest, Inc., decided to showcase the eclectic Austin music scene for music industry professionals. SXSW invited these insiders to Austin for the inaugural event, which was attended by 700 people.

The conference grew over the years, and it quickly began to attract international attention. Organizers estimated that more than 12,000 attendees had seen some 2,000 musical acts on more than 80 stages in 2010. Private events and parties, sponsored by record labels, music bloggers, and radio stations, are held throughout Austin as showcases for specific artists. Conference goers also attend workshops and discussions, with topics ranging from band promotion to legal issues to artist talks. A trade show is held concurrently in the Austin Convention Center, and people use the opportunity to network and view new products and technology.

In 1994 the SXSW Film Festival and the SXSW Interactive Festival were added. The expanded festival, dubbed “SXSWeek,” is held in March and lasts 10 days. The film portion also presents workshops and discussion panels, as well as a juried festival that presents awards to films in such categories as documentary, music video, and experimental short. SXSW Interactive focuses on presentations and networking opportunities for technology professionals.