The SXSW Conference spans multiple tracks programmed through the lens of technology, entertainment, and culture.
2023 Tracks
2050
Focusing on long-range, big-picture thinking on topics that range from nanotech breakthroughs and interplanetary expeditions to life-extension research and new scientific discoveries, this programming showcases long-range, big-picture thinking.
Advertising & Brand Experience
Examine the current and future thinking on strategies to engage audiences through traditional, digital and experiential marketing practices with content geared towards agencies and organizations that want to better understand new ways of connecting with their communities.
Civic Engagement
Some of the world’s most forward-thinking voices gather to discuss programs and policy directions, as well as current political realities. This programming also covers new ideas for activists to effect change on 2023’s most relevant issues.
Climate Change
Programming in the Climate Change track covers the consequences of soaring temperatures and rising oceans, while also showcasing the most promising ideas on mitigating the effects of global warming.
Creating Film & Episodics
Explore the creative process behind film and episodic content, with an emphasis on the collaborative nature of the medium. Topics in this track include casting, sound design, editing, and screenwriting, as well as virtual production and the use of game engines in the filmmaking process.
Culture
The Culture track highlights humanities, arts and relationships to provide a better understanding of how communities share their unique experiences. Specific areas of focus include fashion, dance, visual arts, sexuality, libraries, museums, and literature.
Design
The Design track reveals how top designers, developers, artists and creatives build our physical, digital and virtual worlds with purposeful intent. This content underscores that design thinking helps society achieve our most important goals.
Energy
The Energy track discusses improved local, national, and international solutions for creating access, equity, and infrastructure for delivering power to the people of tomorrow.
Film & TV Industry
Take a look at the current and future states of film and television, viewed through the independent lens of SXSW. Focusing on the business side of the industry, these sessions will cover distribution, financing, representation, and the ever-changing nature of film and television.
Food
This track explores the ways in which technology and innovation can be leveraged to change the way different societies grow, process, cook, consume, and experience food to nourish a more sustainable and healthier world.
Future of Music
The Future of Music track examines the shifting landscape of the traditional music industry, while exploring how innovative technology is redefining the ways that artists, managers and publishers are creating and distributing the sounds of tomorrow.
Games as Convergent Media
This track focuses on the game industry’s continued rise as the dominant entertainment platform of the future, with particular emphasis on how music and film content is increasingly migrating to these systems.
Health & MedTech
The Health & MedTech track addresses how technological and social changes are impacting one of the world’s largest industries. Content covers everything from patient-centric care to gene editing to health equity to 3D-printed human organs.
Media Industry
This track spotlights the trends driving change in the media landscape, the power (and accountability) of the companies who control the message, and the startups that are trying to improve our understanding of the world around us.
Psychedelics
As the Psychedelics movement continues to push further into the mainstream consciousness, this track explores how breakthrough research and a growing business environment will impact the future of these tripped-out chemicals.
Sports
The Sports track tackles breakthroughs in technology, bio-metrics, data analysis, fan experiences and media that are impacting the future of this global industry.
Startups
The brightest ideas for tomorrow can come from anything, anyone, and anywhere. The Startup Track covers the unexpected founders, funders, business plans, new revenue models, success stories and epic fails that makes entrepreneurism so compelling.
Tech Industry
The Tech Industry track features the people, platforms, software, hardware and virtual systems that are driving the world’s next wave of change. This track balances these exciting discoveries against a world that has grown more skeptical about the benefits of the digital revolution.
Transportation
The Transportation track focuses on the technological advances that are radically transforming the way we get from here to there. While the continued rise of electrical vehicles are a big focus of this track, other sessions will examine alternative-powered engines, new aviation breakthroughs, advances in shipping systems, as well as tomorrow's best new ideas for micro-mobility.
Workplace Revolution
The pandemic accelerated transformations in the way we work. This track focuses on how we continue to move forward, the societal impacts of the evolving workplace, and the changing relationship between employees and employers.
XR
The XR track covers the most exciting immersive-related breakthroughs. From virtual and augmented realities to the intertwining of all worlds through the metaverse, this content navigates the potential of these mind-bending technologies.
