Podcasting is getting a much bigger spotlight at SXSW.
SXSW has announced the first details for its 2027 Conferences & Festivals in Austin, Texas, including the launch of a new dedicated Podcast Festival that will make podcasts an official core pillar of the SXSW experience alongside Innovation, Film & TV, Music and Comedy.
The inaugural SXSW Podcast Festival will run March 17–20, 2027, and will be open to all SXSW badgeholders.
According to SXSW, the new festival will bring together podcast talent, platforms, brands, marketers and the broader podcast industry in one dedicated home.
The move represents a significant expansion of podcasting’s role at SXSW. Podcasts have already become an increasingly prominent part of the event through live tapings and industry conversations, but the 2027 festival will give the medium a dedicated space within the larger SXSW programming structure.
For independent podcasters and creators, that could make SXSW an even more important destination for connecting with the people and companies shaping the future of the medium.
SXSW Makes Podcasting a Core Pillar
SXSW says podcasts have become one of its fastest-growing programming categories. The decision to establish a dedicated Podcast Festival acknowledges how much the medium has expanded beyond traditional audio programming.
Podcasting now intersects with virtually every part of the entertainment and media industries, from television and film to advertising, journalism, technology and the creator economy.
The new festival is designed to reflect that broader ecosystem, bringing together creators and the business side of podcasting in the same space.
And unlike some specialized SXSW programming, the Podcast Festival will not require a separate podcast-specific badge. It will be open to all SXSW badgeholders.
The Podcast Festival will take place from March 17 through March 20 during SXSW 2027.
SXSW 2027 Continues Its Downtown Austin Evolution
The Podcast Festival is part of a larger effort by SXSW to build on the changes introduced for the 2026 event.
SXSW says its 2026 reinvention created an experiential creative village across downtown Austin, including new community hubs, Clubhouses and the Congress Avenue Block Party.
For 2027, SXSW plans to continue developing more intentional hubs throughout downtown while making it easier for attendees to move between sessions, screenings, showcases, meetings and community events.
The event will also see several venue changes.
The Music Clubhouse will move to The Thompson hotel, while Music Conference programming will take place at The Thompson and The Westin.
Meanwhile, the Film & TV Festival will temporarily move major premieres, screenings and red carpets to ACL Live at The Moody Theater while Austin’s historic Paramount Theatre undergoes restoration. Film & TV Conference programming will move to The Driskill and Stephen F. Austin hotels.
The Paramount Theatre is expected to return to the SXSW Film & TV footprint in 2028.
SXSW 2027 Dates
SXSW 2027 will take place March 15–21, 2027, in downtown Austin.
The Podcast Festival will run March 17–20.
SXSW EDU will precede the main event, running March 13–16, with two crossover days on March 15–16.
SXSW is also introducing a new CxO Badge, designed as a premium experience for C-suite executives and founders, along with the new 512 Club, which will offer perks and discounts for Austin-area residents.
Opportunities to Cover SXSW 2027
SXSW has also opened applications for Press & Content Creator Accreditation for media professionals and creators interested in covering speakers, artists, activations and other events on the ground.
Film & TV Festival submissions are also open for feature films, shorts, music videos, television and XR projects.
SXSW 2027 runs March 15–21, 2027, in Austin, Texas. The Podcast Festival runs March 17–20.
More information about SXSW 2027 and participation opportunities is available through SXSW.
