For decades, we watched in envy as the world’s greatest minds and creatives flocked to South By South West (SXSW) in Austin, Texas to showcase their talents on the world stage. That was until two years ago, when, for the first time in its history the festival expanded to Sydney.
With festival alumni including Chance the Rapper, Nicole Kidman, Queer Eye’s Tan France, and Black Mirror’s Charlie Brooker, we are expecting great things in October 2025. Despite having a tough act to follow, the current lineup appears to be up for the challenge.
So far, the organisers of SXSW Sydney have made several huge lineup announcements. Already featuring some of the world's most brilliant minds, disruptors, and creatives across the pillars of music, games, film, technology, and innovation, the 2025 edition of SXSW Sydney is looking very appetising.
Plus, with three months still to go until it all kicks off, the Aussie SXSW lineup will only continue to grow. Whilst it may all seem a bit overwhelming right now, we’ve got you sorted. Keep scrolling for everything you need to know about the SXSW program for 2024.
- SXSW Sydney Conference: Keynotes And Feature Speakers
- SXSW Sydney Music Festival
- SXSW Sydney Gaming Festival
- More SXSW Sydney: Film, Tech, And Innovation
- SXSW Sydney Badges: How To Attend SXSW Sydney
- SXSW Event Schedule
SXSW Sydney Conference Keynotes
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The 2025 edition of SXSW is currently set to feature over 400 conference sessions, presented by a range of influential individuals. These speakers will ignite thought-provoking commentary on a host of issues, from technology to human rights to wellbeing, and everything inbetween.
Honourable mentions for keynote speakers include award-winning director, writer, producer and actor, Paul Feig. Feig's take on modern comedy across both the big and small screen includes cult-favourites like Freaks and Geeks, Bridesmaids and A Simple Favour. His work has been recognised as the launch point for numerous well-known careers whilst receiving multiple Emmy and DGA nominations—celebrated for its unique take on humour, warmth and character-driven storytelling. Feig will receive the inaugural SXSW Sydney Screen Pioneer Award, honouring his contributions to genre filmmaking and film culture.
Feig will be joined by the President of encrypted messaging app Signal, Meredith Whittaker. With over 17 years of experience in tech—spanning industry, academia, and government—she previously served as the Minderoo Research Professor at NYU and Faculty Director of the AI Now Institute, which she co-founded. Her research helped shape global AI policy, fundamentally shifting the public narrative on AI towards surveillance and resource allocation. She is also accredited as an advisor to the White House, the FCC, the City of New York, the European Parliament and many other governments and civil organisations on privacy, security, and AI measurement.
Other recent additions to the 2025 lineup also include Lucy Guo, the worlds youngest self-made female billionaire; Lars Rasmussen, co-founder of Google Maps; Niall Firth, Executive Editor of MIT Technology Review, and many more.
SXSW Sydney Music Festival
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Featuring the best new talent you’ve never heard of; the SXSW Sydney Music Festival is an almost mandatory part of attendance. This is where you’re given the golden ticket to discover tomorrow’s superstars. In its history, SXSW has hosted Katy Perry, Amy Winehouse, PinkPantheress, John Mayer, Jorja Smith, and more just before they blew up. So, I mean, how could you not?
More than 40 talents have just joined the stage roster for SXSW 2025, including UK indie-rock experimentalist Jasmine 4.t, who took the Grulke Prize for Best Developing Act at SXSW Austin earlier this year. Jasmine released her debut album as the first signee of Phoebe Bridgers' music label, Saddest Factory, co-produced by Bridgers and her fellow BOYGENIUS members, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus.
Jasmine joins a range of both international and local talent who will also be featured at the festival. This includes buzzy Irish rock band Cardinals, rapper and ballroom icon Jamaica Moana, DIY lo-fi songwriter RICEWINE, and Aoteatroa New Zealand R&B/neo-soul artist Tusekah, who has opened for the likes of Olivia Dean and PJ Morton. There will also be some more experimental features—UK creative studio and technology company Ristband are putting on a multimedia MR technology and live performance showcase with collaborators Pivots; and Japanese act Suichu Spica 水中スピカ has a distinctive, genre-fusing math rock style that you won't want to skip.
SXSW Sydney Gaming Festival
Image credit: SXSW Sydney | Supplied
SXSW Sydney 2025 will also host a Games Festival. Celebrating the future of the gaming industry, the festival marks an unprecedented opportunity for gaming professionals and game lovers alike to taste what's next. Attendees will be able to throw themselves into an array of gaming events, including hands-on demos, performances, product launches, and live play. To take things to the next level, the Games Investment Forum connects studios with the publishers, investors, scouts and funders who can help bring their projects to life.
In 2025, ICC Sydney will be hosting the Gaming Festival, serving as the location for awards nights, networking functions, and parties. Plus, who knows, it might be the birthplace of the game we’re all addicted to next year.
More SXSW Sydney: Film, Tech, And Innovation
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Also on the program, is the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival which unites the finest screen creatives within the Asia-Pacific region. There you might find Baz Luhrmann rubbing shoulders with the Wiggles, rubbing shoulders with rap group OneFour. With the program set to feature TV premieres, shorts, music videos, XR, and feature films, the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival is a celebration of all forms of moving image.
Then, there's the SXSW Sydney Technology & Innovation exhibitions showcasing emerging tech and ideas that will soon change the way we live our lives. You’ll hear from business leaders throwing out the rule books, and disruptors set to take on the world.
The expo also includes the Startup Village, Discovery Stage, and zones dedicated to areas such as entertainment, health and wellness, education, social impact, and more. Here you will be able to get up close and personal with leading business and industry professionals making big moves in their respective sectors.
SXSW Sydney Badges: How To Attend SXSW Sydney
SXSW Sydney ticketing uses a badge system. Badges grant access to the week-long conference, expos, festivals, and networking sessions, with different badge types granting a different level of access.
So set your calendars, and get ready to take things to the next level between Monday 13 October and Sunday 19 October.
The Details:
What: SXSW Sydney
When: Monday 14-Sunday 120 October 2023
Where: Sydney CBD and surrounds
Main image credit: SXSW Sydney
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