The organisers of SXSW have today announced that SXSW Sydney 2025 was its last visit to Australia, with a cancelled 2026 edition and the news that the citywide event will “conclude its run” down under.
In a statement shared by TEG, the decision “reflects a changing global environment that is impacting major events, festivals and cultural programs worldwide”.
“SXSW Sydney worked closely with the NSW Government and SXSW’s global owners, Penske Media Corporation to explore potential pathways forward for the event, however, prevailing market conditions mean the Sydney edition will not be going ahead at this time,” the statement reads.
“Between 2023 and 2025, SXSW Sydney generated an estimated $276 million in total economic impact. The event attracted more than 63,000 out-of-region attendees and recorded a 35% year-on-year growth in international visitation between 2024 and 2025. In 2025 alone, the event attracted a total attendance of more than 345,000, representing a 15% year-on-year increase.”
SXSW Sydney co-managing directors, Simon Cahill and Jono Whyman, added: “SXSW Sydney would not have been possible without our partners, Destination NSW and SXSW, as well as those who contributed to the event – our speakers, sponsors, volunteers and attendees. SXSW Sydney was an unforgettable three-year journey, and we owe a debt of gratitude to the people who joined us for it.
“We are especially grateful to the SXSW Sydney team for their dedication and hard work in bringing this event to life and establishing a platform that showcased Australia and the Asia-Pacific as pioneers in global culture.”
Variety Australia has contacted TEG regarding the future of SXSW Sydney beyond 2026.
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In a separate statement, SXSW Sydney said the event “has reached its closing chapter”.
“It’s bittersweet to be saying goodbye while the momentum is so high. We’re still celebrating the success of this past year — one that saw total attendance of more than 345,000 (representing a 15% year-on-year increase), and cemented a three-year cumulative economic impact of $276 million,” the team said.
“To the tens of thousands of you who filled the halls of ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour, and surrounds over the past three years: thank you for being a part of the SXSW Sydney journey. You didn’t just attend an event; you came together to help us build a vibrant, global community that transformed the heart of our city every October.
“While this chapter ends here, the connections made and the ideas sparked on our stages will continue to resonate. Thank you for making these past three years unforgettable.”
In its three-year tenure, SXSW Sydney featured a stack of high-calibre talent, including Chance the Rapper, Nicole Kidman, Teddy Swims, The Kid LAROI and Paul Feig.