Conference Sessions Announced for SXSW 2022

Austin Convention Center Photo by Aaron Rogosin

To kick the season off, we are excited to announce the nucleus of our SXSW Conference programming – over 160 sessions curated by the SX community, for the SX community from the 2022 PanelPicker®.

"The first Conference programming announcement of the season lays a foundation for our core areas of coverage — the tech, film and TV, and music industries. This year we’re more focused than ever on building a future that is equitable and sustainable across society, culture, technology, and policy," said Hugh Forrest, Chief Programming Officer. "Over the coming months we will expand this content with Keynotes, Featured Speakers, and more sessions that foster new ideas and creative problem solving. As always, SXSW remains an essential destination for global professionals, and we look forward to gathering in Austin and online."

Participants include Adobe, Epic Games, Kill Rock Stars, Meow Wolf, Natural Resources Defense Council, Nickelodeon, The Oversight Board, Spotify, Sundance, Unity, and VMware, to name only a few. Browse session highlights by Track below before diving into all announced sessions.

PanelPicker® Entry Round Two

In addition to today's announcement, we are reopening PanelPicker® from October 13-22 for a second round of applications! Entries will be reviewed and selected by SXSW Staff then announced later this season.

While crafting your proposal, be sure to explore new SXSW programming elements including Summits, deep dives into specific topics; a Podcast format; and our 15 Tracks. Don't miss this exclusive opportunity – enter your session idea today.

To experience this great programming and more, register to attend by October 14 at 11:59pm PT to save and then book your hotel for SXSW 2022. We'll have more programming announcements coming next week, so stay tuned!

2022 Session Highlights By Track

2050

The new 2050 Track is the home for long-range, big-picture thinking that pushes the limits of what is humanly possible by showcasing how innovative thinking can be a force for positive change in our troubled world.

Highlights:

  • Preemptive Intelligence: Can We Spy on the Future?
  • The Fact or Fiction of Brain Computer Interfaces
  • Future Intersections of Food, Technology & Culture
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Advertising & Brand Experience

    The Advertising & Brand Experience Track examines the ways that companies are activating in unique and compelling ways to connect with changing consumer priorities.

    Highlights:

  • Will TikTok or Instagram Win The Creator Wars?
  • How Chinese Gen Z will Influence the World
  • 5 Ways You're Killing Your Creative Potential
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Civic Engagement

    Formerly known as Government & Politics, the Civic Engagement Track brings together some of the world’s most forward-thinking voices at the local, national, and international levels to discuss programs and policy directions that can help bridge our current divisions.

    Highlights:

  • Defending Democracy: Attacks on Freedom to Vote
  • Beyond Bars: Building Life After Incarceration
  • Disinformation: How Spies Can Help Find Truth
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Climate Change

    The urgency of action around the climate crisis cannot be overstated. This programming covers the many consequences of soaring temperatures, rising oceans and mass extinctions across the globe.

    Highlights:

  • How One Billion Gamers Can Save the World
  • Your Old Photos Can Help Predict Climate Disasters
  • Eating Up the Oceans: How Do We Save Our Seas?
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Culture

    The Culture Track explores the different traditions, norms, and expectations that help us gain a better understanding of one another while maintaining a sense of stability.

    Highlights:

  • Trends and Challenges for Experiential Culture
  • Steal Like An Artist 10th Anniversary
  • Vanguards of the Black Comics Revolution
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Design

    This long-standing track, which has served as the foundation for almost all SXSW Conference programming, encompasses everything related to interface, interaction, and purposeful intent.

    Highlights:

  • Regenerative Building Design Realities
  • The Future of Design: Pioneering in Hostile Grounds
  • Equity by Design: Inclusive UX Research Practices
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Film & TV Industry

    The Film & TV Industry Track dives into the current and future state of film and television.

    Highlights:

  • Girls Just Want to Have Funds: Women in Finance
  • Forget Mascots. The Native Representation TV Needs
  • Everyone’s a Contestant in Play Along TV
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Future of Music

    The Future of Music Track forecasts how new hardware, software and virtual technologies will continue to redefine the way we create, deliver, experience and engage with the sounds of tomorrow.

    Highlights:

  • Not Just an Artist: Build a Multi-Hyphenate Career
  • TikTok & A&R: How Short Form Platforms Break Stars
  • Music in Games: The Future is Now
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Game Industry

    Gaming’s immersive storytelling and socially-driven digital experiences have become the dominant entertainment medium of the 21st century. This programming delves into how the industry has incorporated more traditional forms of content across a variety of platforms, and where this increased reach and influence will lead the entertainment industry in years to come.

    Highlights:

  • Level Up! Bridging Gameplay and Advertising
  • Fashion’s New Frontier: The Metaverse
  • The Language of Emotion: Designing for Engagement
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Health & MedTech

    An area of focus that has seen huge growth at SXSW in recent years, the Health & MedTech Track centers on how social and technological changes are impacting one of the world’s largest industries.

    Highlights:

  • Health Equity: Ending Racism in the US Health Care
  • VR & Brain Health: a NeuroTech Frontier for Aging
  • The Technology Making Fitness More Accessible
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Making Film & Episodics

    Explore the creative process behind film and episodic content with an emphasis on the collaborative nature of the medium.

    Highlights:

  • No Action, No Cut: Directing Celebs in Doc Films
  • The Art of Adapting IP
  • But, How Do I Raise Money For My Project?
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Media Industry

    The Media Industry Track examines the trends driving change in the media landscape and the power of the companies who control the message.

    Highlights:

  • Lawful, but Awful: Curbing Harmful Content Online
  • Building the Next Generation of News
  • I Quit My Job to Save Local Journalism
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Startups

    SXSW remains one of the world’s top destinations for entrepreneurs from all different industries. The Startup Track covers the new founders, new ideas, and new revenue models that are powering today’s most exciting new companies.

    Highlights:

  • Space, Health, Energy, Oh My! 7 Disruptor Lessons
  • Strengthening the Innovation Ecosystem
  • Building the Sustainable Startups of the Future
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Tech Industry

    The Tech Industry Track highlights the new innovations that will drive the world’s next wave of change, balancing these breakthroughs against a world that has grown more skeptical about the benefits of the digital revolution.

    Highlights:

  • The High Stakes War For Internet Freedom
  • Rewriting The Rules For Responsible Tech
  • Browse All Sessions
  • Transportation

    The Transportation Track acknowledges how technology is radically transforming various transit systems across the globe. This new programming for 2022 reflects how much more tech-driven activity, innovation, and deal-flow we are now seeing in this industry.

    Highlights:

  • Driving AV Technology Forward for Citizens
  • The Future Aviation Race: All-Electric vs Hydrogen
  • Putting Transportation Equity in the Fast Lane
  • Browse All Sessions
  • View All Sessions

    See You in 2022

    Join us March 11-20 in Austin, TX for SXSW 2022! Register today and book your hotel for the best available rates. Stay tuned for more announcements throughout the season.

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    Austin Convention Center Photo by Aaron Rogosin

    By Jordan Roberts

    10/13/2021