South by Southwest 2025, taking place in London, has set its festival dates.
The inaugural fest, celebrating the convergence of “creativity, culture and innovation” will take place from June 2-7 in Shoreditch.
Building on the decades of success for the global festival in Austin, Texas, and now in Sydney, Australia, SXSW London is expected to attract over 20,000 attendees and the events across the capital are expected to generate over £75 million ($97m) for the U.K. economy. It has pledged workforce development initiatives including partnerships with independent and community led-venues at the east London campus. Organizers plan to increase the festival’s impact by offering a skills development program beyond the fest dates.
The event has announced additional new hires. Clare Morris, former Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity marketing lead, will join SXSW London in September as director of marketing and communications. Anna Bogutskaya joins as head of screen while Beth Greenacre joins as visual arts advisor.
“A shorter date format relative to SXSW in Austin will allow SXSW London to run its conference, music, screen and arts programmes at the same time, ensuring accessibility to multiple programming formats and diverse networking opportunities for attendees from different industries,” said Randel Bryan, SXSW London’s managing director. “Bringing SXSW to the streets of Shoreditch will allow us to create a festival like no other, one that unfolds across incredible indoor spaces whilst also showcasing creativity and artistic experiences in unique public spaces, allowing us to capture the energy and excitement of the summer.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “I am delighted to welcome SXSW to London for the first time ever — confirming our place at the heart of Europe’s tech and creative sectors and as a global capital of culture.”
“When I was part of SXSW in Austin in 2018, I saw firsthand the electric atmosphere of innovation SXSW creates and I can’t wait to be part of it again. This is a historic opportunity for London to once again bring the world’s most exciting talent together as part of our mission to build a better and more prosperous London for everyone.”
