350+ Sessions Announced for the 2023 SXSW Conference
Announcing over 350 sessions curated from our global community and spanning the world's of tech, film, music, and beyond, each of which will ignite conversation and collaboration at SXSW 2023. (Cue the cinematic score and commence your programming journey into 2023: A SXSW Odyssey.)
Over the last few months we've sorted through thousands of entries via PanelPicker®. In fact, this season saw a 50% increase in proposals from last year. From community votes to Evaluator Committee and SXSW Staff input, the Conference programming slate has arrived — a key part of the premium content set for this year's event.
"We're excited to host so many innovative thinkers across many different pursuits and professions," said Hugh Forrest, SXSW Co-President and Chief Programming Officer. "The staff has selected the best of the best from thousands of speaking proposals with a unifying theme of extraordinary creative thinking and exceptional creative solutions. We can't wait to showcase all of these amazing sessions next spring in Austin."
Across the 25 Tracks of programming, notable participants include Blackbird.AI, Grammarly, Cheddar, Duolingo, Reddit, Meow Wolf, Google, Sony Pictures, Epic Games, The Walt Disney Company, Indeed, McKinsey, LEGO Group, Shopify, IBM, Spotify, Accenture, Warner Music, Wizards of the Coast, MIT Mobility Initiative, Partnership on AI, Axios, and many more.
Browse session highlights across 25 Conference tracks below and explore the rest of this exciting announcement on the SXSW Schedule.
Session Highlights By Track
2050
March 10-14 | This programming focuses on long-range, big-picture thinking, with topics that range from quantum breakthroughs and interplanetary expeditions to life-extension research and novel applications of scientific discoveries.
- Organic Qubits: Quantum Computing Through Nature
- Habitability on Earth and Beyond
- Does “Mind Control for Good” Exist?
Advertising & Brand Experience
March 10-14 | Examine the current and future thinking on strategies to engage audiences through traditional, digital and experiential marketing practices. These sessions are geared towards agencies and organizations that want to better understand new ways of connecting with their communities.
- Brand POV in a Crisis: Speak Out or Shut the F Up?
- Priming, Rhyming, Timing + Other Marketing BS
- Social Trends: Separating the Signal From the Noise
Cannabis
March 10-12 | Explore the opportunities and challenges that cannabis businesses face today, while taking a deep dive into the companies, ideas and products that will drive the industry forward over the coming years.
- Can the Union of Equity and Tech Save Cannabis?
- No More Silos: Advancing Cannabis Social Equity
- The Art of Cannabis and Food Pairings
Civic Engagement
March 10-13 | Some of the world’s most forward-thinking voices gather to discuss programs and policy directions, as well as current political realities. This programming also covers activism and strategy for effecting change in the face of the destruction of political norms.
- How to Write and Pass Your Own Law
- Evolving Content Moderation: The Next 10 Years
- You're Hired: The Impact of College in Prison
Climate Change
March 10-13 | Programming in the Climate Change track covers the consequences of soaring temperatures and rising oceans, while also showcasing the most promising efforts on mitigating the effects of global warming.
- What if Someone Tries to Re-Engineer the Climate?
- Life on a Reforested Planet
- Can Plastic-Eating Enzymes Save Our Planet?
Creating Film & TV
March 10-14 | Explore the creative process behind film and episodic content, with an emphasis on the collaborative nature of the medium. Topics in this track include casting, sound design, editing, and screenwriting, as well as virtual production and the use of game engines in the filmmaking process.
- Women Writing Genre and Badass Female Leads
- Making Music Docs That Aren’t One Note
- Spectrum and Skin Tone: Lighting for Faces
Culture
March 13-17 | Highlighting how humanities, arts and relationships help individuals and communities share their unique experiences, the Culture track includes fashion, dance, visual arts, sexuality, libraries, museums, and literature.
- Periods on Tiktok!? Using Content to Crush Stigmas
- Who Do You Want To Be When You Die?
- Disability Representation in Future Stories
Design
March 10-14 | Learn how top designers, developers, artists and creatives build our physical, digital and virtual worlds with purposeful intent. Design track programming underscores how design thinking helps society achieve our most important goals.
- Designing Tech for Children's Well-Being
- Data Art: Processes and Perspectives
- Design Practices for Tomorrow’s Housing
Energy
March 10-12 | Explore the problems and solutions of energy production and delivery at every scale, and how new approaches can improve access and equity for communities.
- Nuclear Power: Our Most Valuable Climate Solution?
- Hydrogen Energy: Climate Hope or Climate Hype?
- Reaching Critical Climate Goals Requires Everyone
Film & TV Industry
March 10-14 | Take a look at the current state and upcoming trends in film and television, viewed through the independent lens of SXSW. Focusing on the business side of the industry, these sessions will cover distribution, financing, representation, and the ever-changing nature of film and television.
- Film Distribution in Metaverse and Gaming
- A Conversation with Eric Deggans
- Disability & Horror: Identity & Community
Food
March 10-12 | Digest the ways that technology and policy can be leveraged to change how food can be grown, distributed, cooked, and experienced in healthier and more sustainable ways.
- Futuring Food Systems: A Seat At the Chef’s Table
- AgroTech Innovators Tackling Africa’s Food Crisis
- 2 Degrees From Disaster
Game Industry
March 12-14 | With a focus on the game industry’s continued ascent as a dominant entertainment platform, this programming will emphasize how music content and other media is increasingly migrating to these systems, as well as examine how other societal changes are reflected in what we play.
- Black Joy Within Gaming Culture
- The Future of Play: New Platforms, Games and Tech
- Dungeons, Dragons, and Development Across Decades
Health & MedTech
March 10-13 | Addressing how technological and social changes are impacting one of the world’s largest industries, the Health & MedTech content will cover everything from patient-centric care and biohacking to health equity and drone-assisted organ transplants.
- Hello World: Brain Computer Interfaces at Scale
- Innovating Organ Transplant Supply Chains with UAS
- The Post-Roe Fertility Journey
Markets & Economies
March 13-15 | Analyze the many changes in our systems of commerce that are a direct result of the recession, the pandemic, the rise and fall of crypto, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and other disruptions in our current world.
- The Hidden Culprits Behind Inflation
- The Disruption That Built the Payments Revolution
- Evolution of the Private Markets
Media Industry
March 10-12 | Spotlighting the trends driving change, this programming covers the current media landscape, the need for societal changes to be reflected in the people who populate the newsroom, and the impact of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and deepfakes.
- AI in Newsrooms: What’s the Impact on Journalism?
- Building an Antiracist Newsroom
- The State of Journalism: Funding, Safety and Trust
Music & Tech
March 13-17 | From virtual pop stars to next-generation streaming services, technology has re-invented the way we create, discover, distribute and experience music. Music & Tech sessions showcase the promise and potential pitfalls of these innovations and trends.
- Bring The Noise: An Immersive Revolution in Music
- Is Elvis Back From the Dead? AI's Impact on Music
- The Ethics of Gaming a Release
Music Careers
March 13-17 | Whether you’re an emerging artist or someone who has spent years in one of the many fields that are part of this ever-changing business landscape, this programming will provide valuable guidance and insights into enhancing your position in the music industry.
- Who Gives A Sh!t About Indie Music?
- How To Release an Album in the TikTok Era
- Nothing Boring with the Copyright Royalty Board
Psychedelics
March 10-12 | As therapeutic applications of psychedelics gain more traction in the mainstream consciousness, explore how breakthrough research and a growing business environment will impact the future applications of these novel and traditional drugs.
- Psychedelics for the Frontlines
- How We Changed Our Minds About Psychedelics
- Building an Equitable Psychedelic Medicines System
Sports
March 11-13 | Tackle the breakthroughs in technology, biometrics, data analysis, fan experiences and media that promise to reshape this global industry.
- New Tech Scores Big with the Next Gen Sports Fan
- Why Women's Sports are Growing at an Insane Pace
- Crafting a Post-Pandemic Fan Experience in Sports
Startups
March 10-13 | The brightest new entrepreneurial ideas can come from anything, anyone, and anywhere. The Startups track covers the unexpected founders, funders, business plans, revenue models, success stories and epic fails that make up the addictive experience of launching a new venture.
- VCs: Accelerate into a Downturn for Dividends
- Scaling Fast in Legacy Dominated Sectors
- The Highs and Lows of Being a First-Time Founder
Tech Industry
March 10-15 | Featuring the people, platforms, software, hardware and virtual systems that are driving the world’s next wave of change, these sessions balance exciting discoveries against a world that has grown more skeptical about the benefits of the digital revolution.
- How Purpose Can Guide Responsible Tech
- Robots For Building In The Wild
- Will Quantum Change The Way We Bank?
Transportation
March 14-17 | Recent and upcoming technological advances are radically transforming the way we get from here to there. While electric vehicles are a major focus of this track, sessions will also examine the evolution of autonomous, new aviation breakthroughs, and the most exciting new ideas in micro-mobility.
- Making Electric Mobility Practical for All
- What Robots Can Teach Us About Autonomous Vehicles
- The Next Aviation Revolution: Advanced Air Mobility
Travel & Leisure
March 13-17 | Lockdowns and travel restrictions reaffirmed how important it is for us to discover new surroundings. The Travel & Leisure track uncovers the destinations and new ways of experiencing them that have become increasingly popular, as well as the challenges the industry continues to face.
- Accessibility: The Next Big Thing in Tourism
- Back to the Future of Travel: Short-Term Rentals
- Consumer Experience in a Recovering World
Workplace Revolution
March 10-14 | The pandemic accelerated radical transformations in the way we work. This track focuses on how we continue to move forward, the societal impacts of the evolving workplace, and the changing relationship between employees and employers.
- Future Proof Workplace Through Digital Inclusion
- Bypassing the College Degree
- The Workforce Needs Financial Wellness, Not Snacks
XR & Metaverse
March 12-14 | Covering the most exciting immersive experience breakthroughs from virtual and augmented realities to the intertwining of worlds through the metaverse, this content navigates the potential of these mind-bending technologies.
- How XR is Revolutionizing the Music Industry
- Live Performance in the Metaverse
- A Guide to XR Content Finance and Distribution
Explore all confirmed Conference programming and more on the SXSW Schedule to help you customize your own list of must-see events.
Join Us
Register to attend SXSW 2023 to celebrate the convergence of the tech, film, television, and music industries across a variety of programming formats and special events from March 10-19 in Austin, TX.
SXSW registrants get primary entry to the respective Conference tracks and events of their badge type as well as Convergence tracks, Exhibitions, and Comedy Festival showcases. Plus, enjoy secondary access to other Conference tracks and festival programming.
Take the Badge Quiz to select the Conference tracks and Festivals that most interest you to discover which badge and arrival date best fits your needs.
Keep up with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
The Bedroom Music Producer Takeover – SXSW 2022 – Photo by Melissa Bordeau
10/25/2022