Call opens for SXSW Interactive 2011

15 Jun 2010

South By Southwest Panel Picker now accepting panel proposals through July 9.

South By Southwest Interactive, Music and Film is a nine-day conference and festival that takes place every March in Austin.  It is an enormous event with performances by nearly 2,000 bands, screenings of 250 films, and attendance at industry conferences in the tens of thousands.  The next edition of SXSW will take place from March 11-20, 2011.

Researchers from the UT Austin|Portugal Program have had a presence at SXSW Interactive since 2008, organizing panels on topics ranging from transgressive behavior in online communities to new digital interfaces for performance.  In addition to panels, CoLab participants have provided programming at SXSW parties and side events, including an interactive sound+video installation by Carlos Guedes in 2009 and a 2010 remix performance by a team from the Futureplaces Digital Media Festival.

Programming at SXSW Interactive covers a full range of digital media topics from the online, mobile, gaming and design industries.  In contrast to other conferences it is highly interdisciplinary, with presenters and audience members drawn from engineers, designers, entrepreneurs, academics and journalists.

How to apply

Conference programming is done through a two-step process consisting of an open call for panel ideas followed by an online discussion and vote by conference attendees.  The first phase is now open and proposals are being accepted via the SXSW 2011 Panel Picker through July 9. For more information consult the Panel Picker FAQ.

If you are thinking of making a proposal, we would like to hear from you. The application process is very simple but because of the popular vote, writing a successful SXSW proposal is rather different from other conferences. To discuss your ideas please contact Prentiss Riddle (priddle@ic2.utexas.edu, +1 512-475-8970, Skype pzriddle).

Applications by filmmakers and musical artists to the SXSW Film and Music festivals are made through a separate process which will be announced later in 2010.