Previous guests include Amy Winehouse, Barack Obama, Ed Sheeran and Idris Elba.
London is home to some of the world’s biggest music festivals. Now, South by Southwest has announced its return to Shoreditch from 1 to 6 June 2026. SXSW London is making its way from Texas to Shoreditch, and the festival focuses on creativity, culture, science, and technology.
SXSW London, also known as South by Southwest, first started in 1987. The festival prides itself on its line-up, which has included people from different disciplines. Previous guests include Amy Winehouse, Barack Obama, Deepak Chopra, Mark Zuckerberg, Meghan Markle and Steven Spielberg.
SXSW London has unveiled the Conference programming tracks, setting out fifteen themes that cover at innovation, creativity and societal change. Topics include the disruptive power of AI and the future of human-machine collaboration, frontier technologies such as quantum computing, robotics and space exploration, and the shifts reshaping health, finance and urban life. Attendees can also expect deep dives into the evolution of entertainment, immersive storytelling and gamified worlds, plus sessions on the creator economy, the reinvention of marketing in an attention-driven era, and strategies that drive both startup success and corporate transformation.
Conference and festival sessions will be staged across a Shoreditch campus that includes Christ Church, the Truman Brewery and a network of grassroots music venues, showcasing one of London’s most diverse and influential districts. The events will cover art, design, fashion, gaming, music and technology. Plus, it provides a chance for creatives, emerging and established, to showcase their work.
Screen at SXSW London 2026 will capitalise on its timing ahead of Emmy voting with a stronger focus on television, while expanding into underrepresented regions including North Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. Music curation will continue to platform global creativity, from grassroots discovery to headliners. Previous editions featured names such as Tems and Mabel, alongside rising talents like Pa Salieu and Lila Ike.
Building on a successful European debut, SXSW London welcomed 20,500 visitors and delegates from more than 80 countries at its inaugural event. The lineup spanned global leaders and cultural figures, including His Majesty The King, Mayor Sadiq Khan, former Prime Ministers, Idris Elba, Dr Jane Goodall and Demis Hassabis of Google DeepMind. It was a festival of firsts for film, music, tech and business.
Katy Arnander, Director of Programming at SXSW London, said, “SXSW London 2026 is about deepening the convergence of technology, business and creativity in one of the world's most dynamic cities. Our editorial intent is to spotlight bold ideas, unexpected perspectives and diverse voices and we aim to offer our independently minded community the connections, insights and discoveries they need as they navigate an increasingly complex world.”
Platinum Passes are strictly limited and priced at £1,300, offering premium access to the complete festival. The Festival Pass costs £1,000 and includes access to the business conference, the music festival and the screen festival.
Check in with FACT for the latest details.
GO: Visit sxswlondon.com for more information.