“We are really excited about the plans for SXSW 2026. With the Austin Convention Center closing down for three years, we believe it’s a great opportunity to put new ideas into action.
A shorter SX gives attendees more of a chance to be here for the entire run. With the Conference, Film & TV Festival, and Music Festival all taking place concurrently over seven days, everyone will have the chance to experience the whole of SXSW.
This gives music fans an opportunity to enjoy seven nights of showcases instead of the six we’ve had for several years. It also allows us to continue the work the Music Festival programmers have done over the last decade in paring down the numbers of showcasing artists while spreading the shows out over a greater part of the event. This creates a more curated experience for attendees and artists while retaining the discovery that the music festival is known for.
We also know that post-pandemic attendees want more personalized experiences, and we’re excited to explore new ways to bring people together.”
Original article: Big changes are coming to South by Southwest. After wrapping up the 2025 edition of the Austin, Texas-based festival, organizers announced that next year’s event will be shorter by two days. Running from March 12 to March 18, 2026, the SXSW festival is cutting its second weekend, which typically features its musical performances. Next year, SXSW’s musical performances will run throughout the seven-day festival alongside its TV and Film offerings.
The festival isn’t cutting music from its lineup completely—it’s currently offering presale badges for “Interactive, Film & TV, and Music registrants.” However, it is promising a “reimagined SXSW experience for our 40th event.” Organizers haven’t yet revealed specifics, but the fest’s longtime home the Austin Convention Center is closing for renovations for the next four years. As such, “we’re taking this opportunity to reinvent spaces for our community by creating industry-specific hubs to enable new ways to connect and bring the SXSW community together, all while delivering the stellar programming we’re known for,” according to the SXSW website.
SXSW began as a music-forward event, particularly highlighting up and coming acts. It was a place that could both launch the careers of new artists and attract big-name talent; keynote presenters have included the likes of Johnny Cash, Snoop Dogg, Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, and more. At its peak, SXSW hosted around 2,000 bands, but in 2025 that number was 1,012, with local journos reporting smaller crowds for musical performances, per the Austin American-Statesman. (The A.V. Club hosted our own SXSW event this year featuring interviews with film and TV stars as well as musical performances.) Performers at the 2025 edition included a robust lineup of international acts as well as some more well-known names like John Fogerty, Tom Morello, Big Freedia, Benson Boone, and Khalid, among others.
Meanwhile, the tech, film, and television portions of the festival have expanded. In 2021, Penske Media—which owns many of the Hollywood trade publications, as well as Rolling Stone—bought a 50% stake in the festival, which may serve as an explanation for the pivot in programming. This year, The A.V. Club spoke with the likes of Daisy Ridley, Marc Maron, Aaron Paul, Matthew Rhys, and more, while premieres for The Accountant 2, Another Simple Favor, Holland, and The Rivals Of Amziah King saw big stars like Ben Affleck, Blake Lively, Nicole Kidman, and Texas native Matthew McConaughey in attendance.
