After three years of music industry conferences and performances in the heart of the city, SXSW Sydney has concluded its run following its 2025 event.
Today, SXSW Sydney confirmed that it will not proceed in 2026. Organisers have cited a “changing global environment” that is impacting major events worldwide, including music festivals and cultural programs.
They added that SXSW Sydney has been working closely with the NSW Government and the event’s global owners, Penske Media Corporation, to potentially find a way forward. However, reported “prevailing market conditions” have impacted the event, leading to the conclusion of SXSW Sydney.
In a statement, SXSW Sydney’s Co-Managing Directors, Simon Cahill and Jono Whyman, described running the industry showcase as an “unforgettable three-year journey” and shared gratitude for the entire team, partners, and contributors to the event.
“SXSW Sydney would not have been possible without our partners, Destination NSW and SXSW, as well as those who contributed to the event - our speakers, sponsors, volunteers and attendees,” Cahill and Whyman said. “SXSW Sydney was an unforgettable three-year journey, and we owe a debt of gratitude to the people who joined us for it.”
Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter
They continued, “We are especially grateful to the SXSW Sydney team for their dedication and hard work in bringing this event to life and establishing a platform that showcased Australia and the Asia-Pacific as pioneers in global culture.”
Jenny Connelly, Director in Charge of SXSW, added that the Sydney edition of the cultural touchstone “represented an ambitious and meaningful extension” of the SXSW brand.
“SXSW Sydney represented an ambitious and meaningful extension of the SXSW brand, and we are incredibly proud of what was built in partnership with the Sydney team, Destination NSW, and the broader creative community,” Connelly said.
“Over three years, SXSW Sydney demonstrated the power of convening global innovators, creatives, and leaders, and created a platform that elevated voices from Australia and the Asia-Pacific region onto the world stage. While the event will not proceed in 2026, we are grateful for the collaboration, creativity, and commitment that defined SXSW Sydney.”
According to a press release, over its three-year run, SXSW Sydney generated an estimated $275 million in economic impact for the city. The three multi-day events – held from 2023 to 2025 – attracted over 63,000 out-of-region attendees and amassed a 35% year-on-year growth in international visitation from 2024 to last year’s event.
The final event, from last October, attracted a total attendance of more than 345,000 punters.
Highlights from last year’s Screen Festival included the Australian premieres of Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere and Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie.
Speakers from across the music industry, such as Live Nation, Goldenvoice, UNIFIED, Laneway Festival, Impressed Records, GYROstream, and many more, presented at the event, while the music festival locked in performances by Ninajirachi, Sonic Reducer, Gordi, Folk Bitch Trio, C.O.F.F.I.N., The Stamps, Last Quokka, Mariae Cassandra, Robert Baxter, sleepazoid, Swapmeet, and many others.
