Frequently asked questions

South By Southwest® dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW Sydney was held for the first time in October 2023. Now, every year Sydney will host a celebration of creativity and culture for changemakers near and far.

Next held across 8 days and 7 nights from October 14-20, 2024, each SXSW Sydney combines innovation, music, screen, tech, games and culture. An essential destination for global professionals, SXSW Sydney features sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and a variety of networking opportunities – proving that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together.

SXSW Sydney acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land where the event will take place. Representation is important to us and with the guidance of local Traditional Custodians, we are working to ensure the event recognises and respectfully upholds inclusive cultural protocols.

Our program, which is continuously in development, will offer a diverse range of topics, people, and ideas – particularly alongside First Nations creators, entrepreneurs and beyond. After all, we know when these worlds collide, the most wonderful experiences emerge.

Bringing together inspired thought leaders, creators and innovators in Tech & Innovation, Games, Music and Screen from across the world – SXSW Sydney will host a series of festivals, a conference and an expo, parties and more. Anything from 1:1 mentoring workshops to keynote speakers, interactive panels to networking lounges, film screenings to live music performances, tech demos, and of course – plenty of surprises.

SXSW Sydney is a local version of the Austin event, delivering a program and experience that honours the original spirit while bringing Sydney’s own unique flair. As the gateway to Asia-Pacific, expect a whole host of innovation and creativity from the region that you won't find anywhere else! The event will take place across one week – so we'll be packing a mighty punch. If you're a SXSW veteran, you'll notice some of our event formats and badge structures have been tweaked. Whilst we wont be including SXSW Edu we have introduced a new track into conference Education & Training.

The SXSW Sydney website is your first stop for information on the event, including news, the event’s history, and detailed information on the conference, festivals, and exhibitions. Check out the website footer to sign-up for our newsletters – you’ll be the first to know about any important updates about the event. For fresh content and highlights, find us on Facebook, X, Instagram and Linkedin.

The SXSW Sydney Conference will discuss all things Tech & Innovation, Games, Music and Screen through multiple tracks. Each track has been designed for the SXSW Sydney community to experience the latest in forward-thinking ideas within their industry, and unlock the unexpected discoveries made possible when a diverse range of topics converge on stage.

The 2024 Conference tracks have been extended, to include streams that are swiftly evolving and contributing to wider conversations. While AI’s influence will be discussed across most of this year’s 23 tracks, some subjects deserve more focus. The Creator Economy, Cyber & Your Data, Education & Skills, Fashion, Lifestyle & Beauty, and Food are new tracks, and updates have been made to the Future of Work, and Energy, Climate & Sustainability tracks. Speakers will be announced monthly from April, with an even wider variety of formats, from Keynotes, Featured Speakers and Panels to Workshops, Mentorship Sessions and Live Podcast recordings.

SXSW Sydney is about discovery, networking and fun – all within a walkable footprint across Central Sydney and surrounding neighbourhoods. From Haymarket, Darling Harbour, Ultimo, to Chippendale and beyond – many of the city’s cinemas, parks, bars and restaurants will transform into a vibrant interconnected hub of future-focused ideas, parties, unique events and networking opportunities.

Developers are matched with appropriate scouts through an Expression of Interest process. This ensures that the matchmade sessions are tailored to the specific needs and interests of both parties.

Unless specific age restrictions are stated in the SXSW Sydney Online Schedule, all SXSW Sydney Conference and Festival programming may be attended by properly credentialed persons, however venue specific restrictions may apply. Please check with the venue to avoid disappointment.

Children under the age of 15 may attend if accompanied, at all times, by a properly credentialed adult over the age of 18. To ensure the enjoyment of all attendees, it’s important that adults accompanied by children respect the right of all to participate in SXSW Sydney without disruption and without concern for the safety of children.

We ask that adults concerned about age admission policies and age-appropriateness of specific programming use common sense and rely on the online schedule for guidance. SXSW Sydney attendees are subject to the age restrictions of each venue, including clubs and bars.

SXSW Sydney has built a world-renowned brand across its 30+ year history in Austin, Texas. By combining its globally recognised profile with a focus on creativity and innovation in the Asia Pacific, SXSW Sydney holds a place on the global major events calendar; a must-attend annual combination of conference and festivals for creators and innovators of all backgrounds.

Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of our community. To ensure that we keep everyone as safe as is reasonably possible, SXSW Sydney will adhere to health regulations and COVID Safety protocols that are in place at the time of the event. These requirements may change based on advice from NSW Health, so please be sure to visit this page for the latest information.

No, SXSW Sydney 2024 will be a completely live event.

Video footage is captured during SXSW Sydney 2024 and some sessions or segments may be shared after the event through a range of digital and broadcast channels, with permission.

A Badge is your chance to discover what happens when different people come together to inspire the unexpected. The only way to experience all that SXSW Sydney 2024 has to offer, including the Conference, is with a Badge. Different Badges unlock different events and levels of access.

Each Badge gives you different levels of access at SXSW Sydney. A Platinum Badge is the best way to experience everything, giving you access to the Conference and primary access to all other events, including exclusive VIP experiences. Music, Games, Screen and Tech & Innovation Badges include are designed to prioritise access to Festival and Tech & Innovation specific events, networking sessions and festivals. All Badge holders recieve access to the Conference and first pick of our partner hotels at a discounted rate.

Throughout SXSW Sydney, some events will be busy and reach capacity quickly. Festival events will have a Primary and Secondary line to manage crowds. If you want primary access for every Festival event – the Platinum badge is the way to go. All other Badges will get you primary access to all of the events specifically relating to the specific type of Badge, access to the Conference, and secondary access to everything else. There'll be hundreds of exciting events to join with any Badge, so you’ll have endless opportunities to get inspired, meet new people and discover the unexpected.

There will be four phases of badge sales for SXSW Sydney 2024. Each phase is subject to a price increase, so the sooner you register, the more you will save. You can find out more including our pricing schedule here.

Access to specific individual Festival events such as indvidual film screenings or music showcases are subject to availability and not guaranteed.

Upon collection of your badge, you will be required to provide the email confirmation as well as a Valid ID photo i.e. Driver's Licence.

No, instead SXSW Sydney invites attendees who will be aged 25 years and under at the time of the event to take advantage of a 40% discount on current Tech & Innovation, Music, Screen or Games Festival Badge pricing. Valid ID ie Driver's Licence will need to be presented when collecting any 25 & Under Badge at SXSW Sydney 2024. To purchase please use the following link.

American Express and SXSW Sydney are giving AMEX Card Members an exclusive Early Access Offer on Platinum and all other Badges including 25 & Under Badges when they check out using their American Express Card until 22 April 2024, or until sold out. T&Cs Apply.

We will be releasing an exclusive offer for wristbands once this goes on sale.

Information about our policies regarding refunds and use of credentials can be found here in our terms and conditions. Please make sure to read and understand these before making any purchases.

Our ticket provider LUP store the collected images securely and with encryption on Amazon S3. Access to these images is restricted to authorised personnel only, based on their role and the necessity to access such data for verification purposes. We employ industry-standard encryption technologies to protect these images both in transit and at rest, ensuring that they are safeguarded against unauthorised access or disclosure.

We will be offering Games, Screen and Music Wristbands and Tech & Innovation Expo passes for sale in 2024. More information will be available later this year.

Access to specific individual Festival events such as indvidual film screenings or music showcases are subject to availability and not guaranteed.