SXSW: How to get the most out of your festival experience
- Brenna Watson-Paul
- Oct 3
- 5 min read
With Sydney SXSW fast approaching, I wanted to move past the buzz and hear from someone who’s experienced the original Austin event firsthand. After seeing so much about the scale, energy and sheer enormity of ideas that SXSW delivers, I spoke with Avion’s Director and Head of Delivery, Rhys Martin, to get his perspective.
Every March, Austin, Texas transforms into a creative mecca. Now, with SXSW expanding to London and Sydney, the hype is only growing. Tech founders rub shoulders with musicians, the biggest films are premiered, and futurists share stages with politicians.
Having attended twice – in 2023 and again in 2025 – Rhys has seen how the festival reflects the shifting tides of technology, politics, and business.
Why SXSW?
When I asked Rhys what first drew him in, he pointed to Avion’s Founder and CEO, Natalie Khoo, whose 2019 SXSW experience “piqued” his interest. “She spoke about how it was an energetic and inspiring hub of ideas and people across digital, tech, work-life, and creative industries. And this really appealed to me.”
But what’s kept his interest isn’t just the content; it’s the way SXSW acts as a cultural barometer. “The event itself hasn’t changed that much,” he says. “But the world around it has and that’s what you feel in the conversations.”
Rewind to 2023, ChatGPT had just launched. Still new enough it felt like magic, and suddenly, everyone was talking about AI. “It was the year AI entered the mainstream,” Rhys recalls, “but it hadn’t completely hijacked the agenda yet.”
“It felt like a crossroads,” Rhys says. “No one quite knew what was coming next.”
Then, mid-festival, came the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, the second largest bank failure in US history. Conversations in Austin turned from speculative tech optimism to financial freefall. Add in sweeping tech layoffs, and you had a festival buzzing with uncertainty.
By 2025, he notes, “35% of sessions had ‘AI’ in the title. You couldn’t escape it. AI was the headliner.”
But there was another undercurrent: politics. With President Donald Trump’s re-election came sweeping government cutbacks; SXSW conversations weren’t just about the future of tech – they were about the disruption to the rules-based international order.
“The sessions were shaped as much by the headlines as the speakers,” Rhys notes.
Although each SXSW (Austin, London, and Sydney) has its own flavour – and with a planned 2026 Austin revamp – it’s safe to expect that the global economic and geopolitical climate will set the tone. Whatever’s on the agenda, here are Rhys’ insights you don’t want to miss:
How to plan SXSW like a pro
“There are hundreds of sessions, so planning is crucial,” Rhys explains. “Think about what you want – networking, trends, professional development – then prioritise from there.”
When I asked Rhys how to even attempt an itinerary for a festival that throws hundreds of ‘unmissable’ sessions at you, he didn’t hesitate. His advice is part logistics, part survival guide. “At least a week before the event, download the SXSW GO app and ‘favourite’ the sessions you want to attend. You can filter by theme: AI, marketing, workplace culture, etc. Once you’ve done this, you’ll see how many clashes you have. This will help you prioritise and arrange your days.”
Heed these non-negotiable SXSW survival tips:
Plan your days in advance. “If you ‘wing it’ you’ll miss out on sessions you really want to see.” His solution? “For keynote sessions, attend the session beforehand and stay in your seat.”
Check the app before moving. The SXSW GO app updates in real time with a traffic-light system. “If it’s amber and you’re not already in line, pick another session – you won’t get in.”
Know that you’ll spend a tonne of time waiting. Expect the queues and prepare. “Pack snacks or buy lunch ahead of time. Otherwise, you may have to decide between eating or going to the next amazing session.”
Then there’s the advice that feels almost like a metaphor for SXSW itself: travel light, wear sneakers, and talk to strangers. “In 2023 I foolishly brought my laptop bag to day one. By the end of the day my shoulder and back were killing me,” he admits.
Most importantly, don’t waste the wait. “Avoid using your phone and instead chat to the person next to you. If you’re a bit of an introvert like me, challenge yourself to avoid the phone crutch. Standing in line is a great time to chat and make new connections.”
Combat your unavoidable fear of missing out
Every SXSW comes with its heartbreak. For Rhys, it was futurist Amy Webb’s famed trends session in 2023. “I didn’t know you had to line up four hours early,” he admits. The line maxed out before he even arrived.
Since then, he’s learned the art of gaming the system: get SXXpress passes (the SXSW equivalent of a golden ticket). “Each attendee gets two SXXpress passes per day. And they open up at 9am the day before the session. There’s a limited number for each session and they book out quickly, so you need to be on the app before 9am to stand a fighting chance. And when in doubt, stake your claim early. Rhys exclaims “attend the session beforehand, stay in your seat to guarantee your spot.”
Rhys’ top 3 SXSW learnings to date
When Rhys shared his standout moments, he didn’t rattle off celebrity sightings or afterparties (though he did briefly mention partying at the Germany House until the early hours). Instead, his list was equal parts wisdom, caution, and worldview.
1. The trap of perfection. Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of Ocean Cleanup, put it simply: “We focus too much on finding the perfect solution. Instead, we should focus on the solution that solves a specific problem.” For Rhys, it was a reminder that innovation isn’t about waiting for flawlessness – it’s about moving fast enough to make a difference now.
2. The cost of lost knowledge. Large organisations, he points out, are drowning in silos. According to Atlassian’s 2025 State of Teams Report, the average knowledge worker spends 10 hours a week just looking for the information they need. He adds the line from former Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd that stuck with him: “If HP knew what HP knew, we would be twice the size.” It’s a problem not only strangling productivity but prompting governments and industry leaders to look to AI as a resource multiplier.
3. A future of generalists, not specialists. Mike Bechtel, Chief Futurist at Deloitte, distilled it into a mantra: why the future favours learn-it-alls over know-it-alls. For leaders, it’s less about having the answer and more about having the agility to keep learning.
SXSW: this or that
Big name keynote or under the radar workshop? Big name keynote
Early morning session or late-night showcase? Early morning session
Voice notes, phone or old school pen and paper? Old school pen and paper
Cheaper hotel or paying extra to be in the thick of it? Paying extra to be in the middle of it all
Slide decks or discussion panel? Discussion panel
Finally, who would SXSW be if it was a person?
I closed with a question that begged for a little imagination: if SXSW were a person, who would it be? Rhys didn’t hesitate. “Michelle Obama,” he shared. “Inspirational, energetic, and thought-provoking. When she speaks, you pay attention. And afterwards you want to do something that makes the world a better place.”
