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SXSW finally came back full steam ahead after a few years slowed down by COVID. I’ve attended SXSW since 2012, and this was a year with all the bells ringing. The 2025 edition of the Conference and Festivals ran March 7 through 15.
A Special Welcome
Day one began with a welcome from SXSW President and Chief Programming Officer Hugh Forrest. In this role, he oversees content for the Conference, as well as the SXSW Music Festival, the SXSW Film Festival, the SXSW Comedy Festival and SXSW EDU.
Forrest first thanked the volunteers, the staffers, the community, and the attendees for their support, their passion and their creativity which keeps the festival moving and growing.
Forrest also reminded the overflow crowd that long-time supporter Mark Cuban would enter into the SXSW Hall of Fame this year, and recommended attendees check out sessions on the next big thing in science: quantum computing.
Artists from TWOLINE STUDIOS created art concurrent with speeches
The Elephant
Forrest called his next subject “The elephant in the room.”
He explained, “For those of you who are not aware, after SXSW 2025 concludes, this building goes away. Yes, that is true. Beginning in April they will tear down this building.”
The building he referred to is the Austin Convention Center, the command center and the event center for SXSW. He explained that it would be replaced with a “bigger and better” convention center, but that SXSW would be without it for three years or maybe longer.
“This is going to be a huge challenge for us,” he admitted, “but it also presents tremendous opportunities for SXSW to reinvent what we do.”
Hugh Forrest leads the SXSW Conference and Festivals
Not Adobe MAX
I was instantly reminded of what happened to Adobe MAX, the annual convention for users of Photoshop and other Adobe software. For years, Adobe MAX had called the Los Angeles Convention Center home. When a massive remodeling of LA Convention Center began, MAX went into “exile” for two years. First it went to San Diego, then to Las Vegas.
I realized that globe trotting would not work for SXSW because of how tightly its identity was tied to Austin and the Austin community.
Ideas, Please
Forrest also said that moving was not an option. “This event has never been about a building,” he explained, “it has been about people, ideas, connections, and opportunities. So, while it will be difficult, I’m confident we can pull this off. We are still doing lots of brainstorming. Email me if you have ideas.”
Forrest concluded with a passionate request: “Please, please, please, reach out to me with ideas, brainstorms, constructive criticisms, less constructive criticism, and all kinds of ideas.”
Forrest mentioned that he could be contacted by email or on LinkedIn.
The Future
After this first day’s surprising elephant, the thirty-second year of the film and TV festival moved on with ninety-six feature films, including multiple world, international, and North American premieres.
Next year’s SXSW will take place March 12 through 18. You can find out more at their website or on X, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
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