SXSW London will be doubling on down on its ambitions to be a creative and tech cross-pollinator in its second edition in the UK capital’s Shoreditch neighborhood this June.
Taking a leaf from its 40-year SXSW parent event in Austin, the UK spin-off unveiled an eclectic conference program and speakers list on Friday, bringing together big names from the worlds of film, TV, tech, the creator economy, music and sport.
Speakers will include Neon founder Tom Quinn, England soccer star Jill Scott, actor-producer Tye Sheridan, BFI Film Fund Director Mia Bays, Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen, creator GK Barry and Hannah Holland, CEO of digital first talent agency HLD Talent.
From the world of tech, there will be Bluesky COO Rose Wang; Victor Riparbelli, co-founder & CEO of AI video platform Synthesia, and former UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who recently joined Europe and tech-focused venture capitalist Hiro Capital after his stint as Head of Global Affairs at Facebook, among others
The six key themes shaping the program are: ‘AI as the New Power Structure’; ‘Living Longer, Living Better’; ‘Culture Can Save Humanity’; ‘Society Rewired’, exploring efforts to defend democratic values in an era of misinformation and authoritarianism; ‘Creativity in the Algorithmic Age’, and ‘Futurism in Practice’, looking at the blurring of boundaries between physical and digital environment.
Speaking at a media meet-and-greet in London this week, SXSW London Director of Programming Katy Arnander said the event was keen to carve out its own London identity while keeping with the spirit of its Austin-based parent original.
“We haven’t transported the full Austin vibe to London… we’ve decided to create our own vibe here in Shoreditch,” she said.
The second edition, running from June 1 to 6, will unfold in more than 20 venues across Shoreditch, a neighborhood of contrasts on the fault-lines of history and tech; gentrified listed buildings and high-density social housing, and young professional newcomers and working-class communities.
“SXSW London is centred around the idea of convergence, bringing together voices – even unexpected pairings – in ways that rarely happen elsewhere,” said Arnander.
“This year’s agenda takes that idea even further. From frontier technology and medical innovation to music, activism and the creator economy, the program strikes a strong balance between tension and harmony, ultimately cultivating a space for healthy debate. By providing a space for this collision of ideas, SXSW London is the place for any business leader, venture capitalist, or marketer to gain insights, discover innovative concepts, and expand their professional networks.”
Alongside the conference programme, the SXSW London Music Festival will showcase more than 200 artists, spanning emerging voices and established acts such as Tiwa Savage, ODUMODUBLVCK, Rachel Chinouriri and Circa Waves.
The SXSW London Screen Festival, the line-up for which will be announced at the end of March, will feature lineup of recent film and series from across the world. Bays and Quinn will be participating within the framework of the screen program.
Launched with a ten-year commitment, SXSW’s inaugural 2025 edition welcomed more than 25,000 attendees from more than 85 countries and featured 900 speakers across dozens of sessions, performances and screenings.
