Call for applications: SXSW 2023

Applicants should submit applications for the following segments: Music Festival, SXSW Pitch, PanelPicker and the SXSW Art Programme.

Music festival showcasing

New, developing and established showcasing artists enhance their careers by reaching new audiences at the SXSW Music Festival each year. Official showcasing artists will perform live at one of the many iconic venues located in downtown Austin for 30 000 industry reps, 3 000 media members and thousands of fans and fellow musicians from all over the world.

Music showcase applications are open to:

• All music genres.
• Artists from around the world.
• Signed and unsigned artists.

Important details:

• One official SXSW showcase performance is guaranteed per invited act.
• Showcase slots run an average of 40 minutes (some exceptions may apply).
• Showcases will take place between 13 to 18 March 2023.
• SXSW does not provide artist backline or cover travel and accommodation expenses.

Apply here before 12 August (early deadline) and 7 October (final deadline).

SXSW Pitch

Creatives will pitch their innovative startup at the annual SXSW Pitch competition in front of a live audience and panel of expert judges. Successful applicants will be a part of product demonstrations by the most ambitious talents in the world with the creative new ideas to change it. The 15th annual SXSW Pitch will take place at the Hilton Austin Downtown on 11 and 12 March. A live audience, as well as a panel of expert judges, will discover advancements in various sectors of emerging technology. The best part – product demonstrations by the most ambitious talents in the world with the creative new ideas to change it.

Eligibility

• The company’s product and/or service must have been conceived no earlier than 21 March 2021.
• Each company may only enter one product or service to SXSW Pitch.
• A company that enters more than one product or service will not be eligible to participate in SXSW Pitch.
• Each applicant is only eligible to present in one of the SXSW family of start-up innovation events (SXSW Pitch, SXSW Innovation Awards, or SXSW EDU Launch). If you would like to apply for SXSW Pitch and Innovative Awards, please note you will only be eligible to participate in one.
• Founders of the company applying must retain some portion of ownership in the company.
• The Company must not have raised over eight (8) Million Dollars in funding from combined funding sources.
• The product or service must fall into one of the SXSW Pitch categories.

Interested artists can apply here. The early bird application fee is $100 (28 June – 9 September) and the regular and application fee is $220 (10 September– 13 November). The final deadline to apply to the 2023 SXSW Pitch event is 13 November at 11.59pm Pacific Time.

PanelPicker

PanelPicker is the official SXSW user-generated session proposal platform that was developed to encourage the SXSW community to enter proposals and have a significant voice in conference programming. PanelPicker helps participants to connect with thousands of creative professionals, experts and decision makers from many disciplines in the global SXSW community.

Interested participants can enter their proposals here before 24 July. Find more about PanelPicker here.

SXSW Art Programme

The SXSW Art Programme is an open call to studios, designers, collectives and individual artists whose work is either in medium or concept, is at the intersection of art and technology, or creates an experience, whether through immersion or social engagement.

Interested participants can apply here before 14 July (early deadline) and 21 July (final deadline). Find more about the SXSW Art Programme here.

View the original call here.