SXSW Sydney 2024 Schedule: The Events You Can't Miss

You've seen it on posters and advertisements around Sydney, but what exactly is SXSW? Originally founded in Austin, Texas, in 1987 as a musical festival showcasing new and emerging talent, SXSW has evolved into a celebration of creativity, encompassing everything from tech and innovation to film and gaming. It's a rare chance for creatives, the public, and emerging talent to collaborate, share ideas, and experience some magic.

Topics like 'why the world will be defined by biotech', 'the threat of deep fakes, disinformation, and fake news on a global scale', and 'will generative AI empower education' are just a few of the topics up for discussion. 

Alongside the conference and ticketed events, this year, Tumbalong Park will become a gathering place where every single Sydneysider is welcome to enjoy a range of free events. There are also multiple access options for the conference and expos ranging from day passes to all access.

Free this October between the 14th and 20th? Take a squiz at the SXSW Sydney schedule below and pencil some thought-provoking events in...

TAICCA Presents Taiwan Beats Showcase

Dancing shoes at the ready, and prepare to experience some of the most exciting emerging talent from Taiwan at one of Sydney's favourite venues, the Abercrombie Hotel.

The Taiwan Beats Showcase at SXSW Sydney is set to deliver an unforgettable night of music on Thursday, October 17. The night will spotlight a stellar lineup of emerging Taiwanese artists, including  I'm Difficult, Andr, Scattered Purgatory, and YenTing Lo. The event promises a dynamic blend of genres and styles, showcasing the very best of Taiwan’s burgeoning music scene.

Thursday, October 17, 6:30pm-11:30pm

The Abercrombie Hotel, 100 Broadway, Chippendale 

Tickets here

Catch an Exclusive Screening or Film Premiere 

SXSW Sydney’s 2024 Screen Program is packed with major premieres and exciting new features. Highlights include the Australian premiere of Unstoppable, starring Jharrel Jerome and Jennifer Lopez, plus the world premiere of Pools by Sam Hayes.

The episodic program features Apple TV+'s Shrinking season two and the world premiere of Brendan Cowell’s Plum. Y2K, directed by Kyle Mooney, will open the festival, while films like Messy and King Baby round out a diverse selection.

Screenings are open to attendees with a Screen Badge, Wristband, or Rush tickets

Tickets here

Impressed Recording x COHORT SXSW Sydney Showcase

Impressed Recordings is teaming up with Melbourne label COHORT for an unmissable showcase at SXSW Sydney. Featuring breakout acts RINSE, Juice Webster, LIMINAL and Loose Content, the takeover at Lord Gladstone on Wednesday, 16 October, promises an afternoon of top-tier music, vinyl and vibes—a no-brainer addition to your SXSW schedule.

There’ll also be an exclusive seven-inch vinyl featuring tracks from all the artists, plus some limited-edition Impressed Recordings x COHORT merch available on the night.

Wednesday, October 16, 3pm-6pm

Lord Gladstone, 115 Regent Street, Chippendale

Tickets here

Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention – and How to Get Your Brain Back with Johann Hari

At SXSW Sydney 2024, Johann Hari, renowned author and speaker, will deliver a keynote titled Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention – and How to Get Your Brain Back. Drawing from his New York Times best-selling book Stolen Focus, Hari will explore the growing attention crisis, offering insights on how to reclaim mental clarity in an age of distractions.

October 16, 10am-11am

ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour Theatre

Tickets here

History of Virtual Celebrities

In History of Virtual Celebrities, Teddy Dief, co-designer of Hyper Light Drifter and game director of We Are OFK, explores the evolution of virtual identities in media from the 1960s to today’s VTubers and virtual bands.

Dief delves into the development of the virtual band OFK, detailing the design choices and social priorities behind the We Are OFK game. Attendees will learn about the opportunities and challenges of creating virtual characters and fostering parasocial relationships, as well as the potential impacts—positive and negative—of these virtual connections.

Thursday, October 17, 5pm-5:30pm

Fortress Sydney, Alienware Arena

Tickets here

There will be plenty of free events for those looking to enjoy a taste of SXSW. Tumbalong Park will host the fab program which will take place across six days. 

Promising to be a highlight, +91 Calling is a day dedicated to celebrating Sydney's amazing Indian population as well as the incredible tech and innovation coming out of the country itself. The Tumbalong Park Main Stage will be taken over with six acts from India and the Indian diaspora that span hip-hop, pop, R&B and neo-classical and there will be food stalls aplenty. 

Another exciting addition to the program is the Innovation Showcase which will be your chance to get amongst developments in rocketry, robotics, engineering, mechanics and science and technology presented by some of the best tertiary intuitions. For those keen on a good time a screening of The Endless Summer 60th Anniversary followed by an afterparty hosted by Papa Salt is one not to miss. 

Running for the full six days, the SXSW Sydney conference is a unique opp to delve deep into the important questions across business, tech and more. Taking part in the conference gives you access to networking sessions, parties and meet-ups. You can pick and choose from hundreds of events to design your schedule to build on tools that'll keep you on top.

Panels, keynotes and workshops designed to help you gain practical skills are spread across 23 conference tracks covering everything from AI and robotics to startups and the creator economy.

Catch the full conference schedule here. 

SXSW offers a chance for games professionals, fans and emerging talent to explore the limitless opportunity of the industry. The conference and festival will see live play, demos, performances and product launches take centre stage.

Zero-cost booths offer indie developers the chance to garner exposure whilst remote showcasing will enable international studios to share their work. 

Catch the full games schedule here. 

The SXSW 2024 program is shaping up nicely, with emerging and established artists locked in. If you're in the industry or hoping to be, the conference sessions and mentoring are the segments to book.

Glean knowledge from those who have come before and those who are emerging on the scene before making connections and, of course, enjoying some top-tier performances at Tumbalong Park. 

Catch the full music schedule here. 

This year's SXSW Sydney program is huge for the film buffs. There will be screenings of feature films, shorts, TV premieres and music vids spanning a diverse range of genres. 

There will also be opportunities to upskill, stay ahead of trends and network via workshops, seminars, and events. 

Catch the full screen schedule here. 

SXSW is THE place to be for the lowdown on new tech and ideas touching every aspect of our lives. The program will see start-up founders, innovators and business leaders take to the stage, sharing ground-breaking ideas in droves.

Alongside networking sessions, parties, meet-ups and product launches, there will a Sydney Pitch session which will see new tech be pitched to a panel of experts with the winning pitch presented during the Pitch Finals in Austin for SXSW 2025. 

Catch the full tech and innovation schedule here 

SXSW Sydney will be running from Monday 14th October to Sunday 20th October. You can view access and ticketing options here. 

Loved this rundown on the SXSW Sydney schedule and keen to get amongst more events happening in the city? Be sure to check out our weekend event guide here and our monthly event guide here.