Returning for its second year, SXSW Sydney will feature conferences, musical performances, panels, film screenings and more.

After the huge success of SXSW Sydney last year, the creative conference is returning to Australia this October.

Held between Monday, October 14 and Sunday, October 20, the week long event features conferences, panels, musical performances, gaming, short films and more across various venues around Sydney.

This year’s SXSW musical component is headlined by Highbreak High star Ayesha Madon, Bogota-based psychedelic funk trio BALTHVS and Sydney’s own rising pop artist Nick Ward.

Also performing at SWSW Sydney 2024 are Total Tommy, Joel Sunny, Ena Mori, HighSchool, Smol fish, Maina Doe, 404 and brothers J-MILLA & Yung Milla.

When it comes to guest speakers, get ready for a wide range of professionals and creatives including Astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg, Mortal Kombat filmmaker Simon McQuoid, TikTok executive Sofia Hernandez, futurist Ryan Patel, writer, actor and comedian Nakkiah Lui, Australian performer and media personality Courtney Act, legal figure Jennifer Robinson, Tennis Australia CEO and Director of the Australian Open, Craig Tiley, and more.

Moviegoers can expect an exceptional selection of short films and premieres, with highlights including USA-based director, writer and producer Talia Shea Levin’s comedy Make Me a Pizza, Fish Tank, a film about a woman who can’t stop vomiting goldfish from LA-based Wendi Tang’s and Malaysian-raised, New Zealand-based director Hweiling Ow’s Vivie.

SXSW Sydney 2024 will also spotlight some of the best new video games, with over 120 independent upcoming and recently released games on show. Highlights include dark fantasy Blood Reaver from Australia’s Hell Byte Games, food truck simulator FRUITBUS from Norway’s Krillbite Studio and haunted exploration game Mystiques by Australian game studio Lemonade Games.

“After the success of the inaugural SXSW Sydney in 2023, we are once again inspired by the overwhelming response from the creator communities to participate in the 2024 program,” said SXSW Sydney Chair and TEG Group CEO, Geoff Jones.

“This is the first of many announcements as we roll out the extensive and diverse range of visionaries & creative thinkers from around the Globe that make up the SXSW Sydney 2024 conference lineup.”

Last year’s inaugural SXSW Sydney was a massive success and the first to occur outside of Texas. It included performances from ASHY, Foley and Chance the Rapper, panels with Australian actress Nicole Kidman and Black Mirror creator Charlie Booker and a plethora of movie screenings and gaming showcases. With over 700 events featuring more than 300 live gigs across 25 venues, expect more announcements in the coming weeks as the SXSW Sydney 2024 program expands for what’s sure to be another incredible festival in the heart of Sydney.

SXSW Sydney 2024 will run from Monday, October 14 to Sunday, October 20. Tickets are on sale now via sxswsydney.com.

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