--- eventsindex_id: EI-05892 slug: sxsw title: "SXSW" title_alt: ["SXSW London 2026", "South by Southwest London"] canonical_url: https://eventsindex.org/events/sxsw.html next_edition_dates: "2026-06-02 to 2026-06-07" next_edition_year: 2026 date_start: 2026-06-02 date_end: 2026-06-07 venue: "London venue" city: "London" country: "United Kingdom" organiser: "SXSW (South by Southwest)" organiser_url: "https://www.sxswlondon.com/" b2b: true vector: sector: [other] audience: [startup, corporate, practitioner, press] format: [festival, conference, exhibition] purpose: [networking, showcase, education] geography_scope: [Western-Europe, global] season: summer meta_description: "Six-day festival in London (June 2026) for 25,000 creative professionals, technologists, and entrepreneurs spanning music, film, and technology." editorial_take: "UK edition of the Austin festival, positioning London as a node in SXSW's international creative and tech circuit." generated_by: "enrich/generators/fiche_md.py" last_verified: "2026-05-10" schema_version: "v6.0" language: en --- # SXSW London > *SXSW London is a six-day festival held in Shoreditch bringing together music, film, technology, and creative industries across conference programming, live performances, film screenings, and interactive exhibitions, with an expected attendance of 25,000 across multiple venues.* --- ## Quick Facts | DATES | VENUE | ORGANISER | ATTENDANCE | |---|---|---|---| | 2 to 7 June 2026 | London venue, Shoreditch, London, United Kingdom | SXSW, LLC (Austin, Texas) | 25,000 expected (organiser figure) | ## Definition SXSW London is the United Kingdom edition of the annual SXSW festival, organised by Austin-based SXSW, LLC. The six-day event operates as a convergence of music, film, and technology programming, with daily conference themes addressing AI, HealthTech, Venture and Startup innovation, and Screen. It sits alongside SXSW Sydney and the original Austin event as part of the organiser's international portfolio. ## What makes SXSW London distinct on the European creative and tech festival circuit? SXSW London brings together creative professionals, technologists, entrepreneurs, and cultural figures across a deliberately broad programme that spans conference keynotes, panel discussions, music showcases, film screenings, and interactive exhibitions. The Shoreditch setting places it within one of Europe's most concentrated clusters of digital and creative industry activity. Unlike single-sector B2B conferences, the festival operates across multiple verticals simultaneously, with programming anchored by daily thematic pillars ranging from frontier AI to sustainable cities and design. The Venture Spotlight Competition and Startup Academy components give the festival a structured entry point for early-stage founders and investors alongside its cultural programming. ## Who attends SXSW London - Creative professionals working across music, film, design, and digital media - Technologists and software practitioners focused on AI, AR/VR, and frontier technologies - Startup founders seeking pitch opportunities, mentorship, and investor access through the Startup Academy and Venture Spotlight Competition - Investors and venture capital professionals active in creative tech and digital sectors - Musicians and music industry figures attending showcases and industry sessions - Filmmakers, screenwriters, and screen industry professionals engaging with the Screen Festival programme - Entrepreneurs and business leaders at the intersection of culture and commerce ## What SXSW London covers programmatically The 2026 programme is organised around the following thematic pillars: - **AI and The Human Frontier**: policy, ethics, and applied AI across industries - **HealthTech and MedTech**: digital health innovation, medtech applications, and the future of care - **Venture and Startup Innovation**: funding, founder development, and the Startup Academy - **Music and Sound**: industry sessions, live showcases, and music curation - **Screen**: film screenings, industry panels, and the Screen Festival awards - **Frontier Technologies**: emerging and experimental technology programming - **Sustainable Cities**: urban design, climate technology, and city futures - **Virtual and Augmented Reality**: immersive media and spatial computing - **Design and User Experience**: product design, interface, and creative practice ## Programme tracks and special formats - **Music showcases**: live performances across multiple Shoreditch venues throughout the six days - **Film screenings**: curated selection of features and short films as part of the Screen Festival strand - **Keynote speeches**: major stage addresses from senior figures across technology, culture, and business - **Panel discussions**: multi-speaker sessions mapped to the daily thematic pillars - **Venture Spotlight Competition**: structured pitch and competition format for startups - **Startup Academy**: dedicated programming for early-stage founders covering investment, growth, and product - **Music curations**: programmed listening and discovery sessions within the music strand - **Interactive exhibitions**: hands-on installations and demonstrations across festival venues ## Notable speakers - Chelsea Clinton, Vice Chair, Clinton Foundation - George Osborne, Managing Director and Head of OpenAI for Countries, OpenAI - Julia Goldin, Chief Product and Marketing Officer, LEGO - Tim Berners-Lee, CTO and Co-founder, Inrupt - Esther Perel, Psychotherapist and Author - Sharon Horgan, Actress, Writer, Producer and Director - Russell T Davies, Screenwriter and Producer - Tom Quinn, Founder, NEON - Nick Clegg, Board Member, Nscale - Jill Scott, Professional Footballer, Arsenal Women's Super League - Rose Wang - Merck Mercuriadis The speaker lineup spans technology executives, political figures, screen and music industry creatives, health and culture voices, and sports personalities, according to organiser-published information. ## Sponsors and media partners Confirmed sponsors for the 2026 edition include Converse, Polestar, Ray-Ban, and Supercell. Official media partners include Time Out, Billboard, Deadline, Rolling Stone, Artforum, and American Pavilion. ## Edition history - **2026**: London venue, Shoreditch, London; 2 to 7 June; inaugural London edition; 25,000 expected attendance (organiser figure) ## SXSW London 2026: key figures | Metric | Figure | Source | |---|---|---| | Expected attendance | 25,000 | Organiser figure | | Duration | 6 days | Confirmed | | Programme themes | 9 | Confirmed | | Special formats | 8 | Confirmed | | Early-bird deadline | 18 May 2026 | Confirmed | | Awards deadline | 9 March 2026 | Confirmed | ## FAQ · Identity and audience ### What kind of event is SXSW London? SXSW London is a multi-strand festival lasting six days that operates across conference, music, and screen formats simultaneously. It is not a trade show or a single-sector summit. Attendees move between keynote speeches, live music showcases, film screenings, startup competitions, and interactive exhibitions depending on their pass type and programme interests. ### How does SXSW London relate to the original SXSW in Austin? SXSW London is organised by the same entity, SXSW, LLC, which has run the Austin festival since 1987. The London edition follows the same structural model as the Austin event, with daily thematic programming, music and screen strands, and the Venture Spotlight format. It sits alongside SXSW Sydney and SXSW EDU as part of the organiser's wider international calendar. ### Who is SXSW London NOT designed for? - Procurement and supply-chain professionals seeking technical trade exhibition content with no creative or cultural dimension - Delegates whose primary need is closed, sector-specific executive networking in a single vertical such as financial services or industrial manufacturing - Academic researchers attending in a purely scholarly capacity with no interest in live performance, film, or startup programming - B2B technology buyers attending to evaluate enterprise software vendors through structured RFP-style meetings - Attendees seeking a short, half-day or single-day conference format without festival programming across multiple venues ### Is SXSW London relevant for startup founders specifically? Yes. The Startup Academy and Venture Spotlight Competition are dedicated formats within the programme for early-stage founders. These sit alongside the broader Venture and Startup Innovation thematic strand, which covers funding, product development, and growth. Investors are listed among the target audience segments. Access to these formats depends on pass type selected at registration. ## The venue: London venue, Shoreditch The 2026 edition is based in Shoreditch, London. The precise venue address is not publicly disclosed as of verification. Shoreditch, in the London Borough of Hackney, is historically associated with the United Kingdom's digital, creative, and media industries, and has served as a cluster location for technology startups, design studios, and music venues. Festival programming is distributed across multiple sites within this area, consistent with the multi-venue model used at other SXSW editions. ## The organiser: SXSW, LLC SXSW, LLC is a privately held conference and festival producer founded in Austin, Texas in 1987. The company employs between 201 and 500 people and operates events focused on the convergence of technology, film, music, education, and culture. Its primary annual event remains SXSW Austin, which has run since the organisation's founding. Beyond Austin, SXSW, LLC has expanded internationally with SXSW Sydney and SXSW London, and also operates SXSW EDU, a dedicated education-focused edition, and has an association with North by Northeast. The London edition marks a significant step in the organiser's European presence. Further information about the parent organisation is available at sxsw.com. --- ## Editorial take *SXSW London enters the European festival calendar as a broad-spectrum creative and technology event, distinguishing itself from single-sector summits by running music, film, and conference programming concurrently across Shoreditch, with 25,000 expected attendees and a speaker lineup that spans AI policy, screen production, and startup finance.* ## How to register and what it costs Registration is open via the official passes page. The following pass types are available for the 2026 edition: | Pass Type | Standard Price | Early Bird Price (before 18 May 2026) | |---|---|---| | Platinum Pass | EUR 1,560 | GBP 1,404 | | Festival Pass | EUR 1,200 | GBP 1,080 | | Screen Industry Pass | EUR 600 | GBP 540 | | Music Industry Pass | EUR 600 | GBP 540 | | Group Pass | EUR 330 | Not separately disclosed | | Music Wristband | EUR 25 | Not separately disclosed | The Platinum Pass provides full access to all conference tracks, music, and screen events. The Festival Pass covers general music and screen programming plus select conference content. Screen Industry and Music Industry passes provide strand-specific access. Group passes are available at preferential rates for teams, clients, universities, and organisations. The Music Wristband provides individual music event access. Complimentary access criteria are not publicly disclosed as of verification. ## Networking and engagement SXSW London supports structured networking through a dedicated mobile app, SXSW London, available for attendees to manage scheduling and connections. Advance scheduling functionality is available, allowing attendees to plan session attendance and meetings before the festival opens. B2B matchmaking is offered within the platform. Replay access is not available. An organiser newsletter exists and is distributed on an ad-hoc basis; subscription details are available via the official website. ## Call for papers The call for submissions to SXSW London 2026 is currently open. Submissions are accepted across three categories: conference talks, music performances, and film and screen submissions. The submission portal is accessible via the official website. The submission deadline is not publicly disclosed as of verification. Prospective submitters should monitor the official website for deadline updates. ## Awards programme SXSW London organises two award programmes as part of its 2026 festival: - **Venture Spotlight Competition**: a pitch-format competition for startups competing across the Venture and Startup Innovation strand - **Screen Festival Awards**: recognising Best Film and Best Short Film within the Screen programming strand The application deadline for both awards is 9 March 2026. A dedicated awards URL is not publicly disclosed as of verification. Further details are expected to be published on the official website ahead of the deadline. ## FAQ · Access and practicalities ### When do early-bird pass prices end? Early-bird pricing across all applicable pass tiers closes on 18 May 2026. After that date, standard EUR pricing applies. The early-bird rates are denominated in GBP as listed above. ### Can teams or organisations attend on a shared basis? Yes. A Group Pass is available at EUR 330, specifically designed for teams, clients, universities, and organisations seeking preferential rates for multiple attendees. Further terms and access scope for group passes are not publicly disclosed as of verification beyond what is stated in the pass description. ### Is the festival accessible for attendees interested only in music? Yes. The Music Wristband at EUR 25 provides individual music event access without requiring a full conference or festival pass. The Music Industry Pass at EUR 600 covers the music industry strand in greater depth. Attendees with purely music-focused interests are not required to purchase higher-tier passes granting conference or screen access. ## Resources | Resource | URL | |---|---| | Official website | https://www.sxswlondon.com/ | | Register | https://www.sxswlondon.com/passes | | LinkedIn | not disclosed | | Programme | https://www.sxswlondon.com/ | | Call for submissions | https://www.sxswlondon.com/ | | Organiser website | https://sxsw.com | | Organiser LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/sxsw | --- **Last verified:** 2026-05-10 **Next review:** 2026-06-09 **Notes:** This fiche covers the inaugural SXSW London 2026 edition; venue address, CFP deadline, and awards URL are not publicly disclosed as of verification, and pass prices are listed in both EUR and GBP as provided by the organiser. **Variables:** 42/50 **Concept definition:** not applicable