SXSW London conference passes priced at £1,000

SXSW London has revealed the first wave of speakers and performers who will be appearing at the festival and conference’s debut European event.

It will be held across various venues around Shoreditch, East London, from June 2 to 7 this year, featuring a series of talks, screenings, exhibitions, tech showcases, music performances, and more.

Tems is the first musician announced to perform, while musical partners locked in to curate stages include BBC Asian Network, Dankie Sounds, Seoul Community Radio and HÖR Berlin.

Abbey Road Studios will also host a pop-up concept ‘Studio Four’, described as a blend of live music, conversation and immersive experiences that explore “tech, music and creativity”.

Headline speakers involved in the music world include Idris Elba, Jean-Michel Jarre and Wyclef Jean, while other “industry leaders, disruptors and creative pioneers” set to present talks include comedians, fitness coaches, wellness gurus, filmmakers and biotech entrepreneurs, with Katherine Ryan, Joe Wicks, Deepak Chopra, Jenn Nkiru and Ben Lamm among them.

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The inaugural edition has also put passes up for sale, ranging from £650 to £1,300 (+VAT) in cost (though since going on sale at those price points, a 20% discount has been applied and is on offer until March 11).

The premium Platinum Pass went on sale at £1,300 (+VAT), with benefits including access to Platinum-only networking sessions, drinks and a lounge, as well as the full programme of conference, music and screening events.

The Conference Pass, providing access to the full line-up of “keynotes, panels, fireside chats, mentoring sessions and workshops” as well as priority access to the opening party and secondary access to music and screening events, went on sale at £1,000 (+VAT).

The Screen Pass and Music Pass both went on sale at £650 (+VAT). The former is based around access to screenings and events related to TV & film, while the latter provides access to music events, such as performances, talks, workshops and mentoring sessions. Group tickets are also available to inquire about.

Each event will have Primary and Secondary access, with the former taking priority and the secondary admitted if there is available space and no one in the Priority line.

More headline names for the conference, music and screening events are due to be announced in the coming weeks.

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“The names we’re announcing today [February 11] embody the groundbreaking ideas, creative energy, and collaborative ethos that SXSW London will bring to Europe for the first time,” Max Alexander, CEO of SXSW London said. “From redefining industries to spotlighting cutting-edge music scenes, this is just the beginning of what promises to be an unforgettable celebration of global creativity.”

SXSW London is a new edition to the South by Southwest conference and festival series which launched in Austin, Texas, in 1987. It marks the second time the event has gone international, following the launch of SXSW Sydney in 2023. SXSW is also involved in Canadian off-shoot event North by Northeast.

In 2023, 120 artists signed an open letter demanding higher pay for musicians at SXSW in Texas, after which it “quietly” increased wages.

The US event also cut ties with the US military and weapons manufacturers in 2024 after more than 80 artists boycotted the event, including Kneecap, who released a statement saying: “These organisations are literally profiting from and facilitating war crimes”.

SXSW London is produced by Panarise, a live entertainment company owned by private equity investment company Panarae.

The founder and CEO of Panarea is Ali Munir, a director of Penske Media Corporation, which owns media publications such as Variety, Rolling Stone and Billboard, alongside being the majority owner of SXSW. Penske has previously faced criticism for taking a $200 million investment from the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), a Saudi state-funded media company.

Last year a Panarae spokesperson Andy Cushman made a statement to Comple Music Update saying: “Neither Panarae, nor Panarise, have any investment from SRMG”.

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The announcement of SXSW London's launch last year was welcomed by politicians then-Culture Secretary, Lucy Frazer, and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, as a boost for the capital's creative industry.

“I am delighted to welcome SXSW to London for the first time ever – confirming our place at the heart of Europe’s tech and creative sectors and as a global capital of culture," said Sadiq Khan.

UK Music CEO Tom Kiehl expressed the need to support the wider music event infrastructure if the UK in a statement to CMU, saying: “While it's undoubtedly fantastic news that SXSW is coming to London in 2025, we must continue to support important events across the UK like Wide Days in Scotland, Focus Wales and the Great Escape in Brighton so that they continue to thrive. We want to ensure music creators and music fans have the chance to access different events right across the UK. That is the best way of continuing to grow the industry and nurture the talent pipeline on which our sector relies”.

SXSW London takes place across June 2 to 7. Find out more at sxswlondon.com.

Patrick Hinton is Mixmag's Editor & Digital Director, follow him on Twitter