SXSW will return as an in-person event in 2022
This year’s edition of the Austin festival went virtual due to COVID-19.
Jack Antonoff onstage at SXSW 2019 / Photo: Tim Mosenfelder / Getty
South By Southwest (SXSW) organisers have announced that the annual festival will return as an in-person event in 2022.
This year’s edition of the festival, the recently concluded SXSW Online 2021, was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 festival had been cancelled altogether.
In a statement to wrap up the 2021 festival, organisers have announced their plans to bring the festival back to the city of Austin, Texas next year.
“We at SXSW are hopeful that once people feel it’s safe enough to return to what will be the new normal of life,” they wrote. “There will be a real enthusiasm for getting back to the things that brought them joy or opportunity or just the simple need to be out amongst humanity. We can’t wait to bring people together once again to meet and share ideas.”
“I’m very confident that SXSW will look normal, or near-normal next year,” added Dr. Mark Escott, Austin Public Health’s Interim Authority.
SXSW 2022 is scheduled to run from 11 to 20 March.
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SXSW Online 2021 featured a globe-spanning array of artists, including the likes of Australian garage-rockers The Chats, Danish post-punk outfit Iceage, Japanese punk band Otoboke Beaver and English indie-rockers Sorry.
Several performances took place on SXSW Online XR, which recreated actual locations in Austin, Texas – such as the Red River Cultural District and Paramount Theatre – in virtual reality.
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