SXSW London kicks off with near perfect timing: Just weeks earlier, the U.K.’s AI sector reported record investment numbers, underscoring London’s status as the AI capital of Europe. “AI as the New Power Structure” is, aptly, a central theme of the second edition of the Austin spinoff. In fact, a big reason SXSW made the leap to London, programming chief Katy Arnander says, is the city’s “convergence of tech, business and creative industries all in one place.”
The festival is set to take over the über-hip creative hub of Shoreditch from June 1-6 and will be spread across 25 venues such as the vast Truman Brewery and Shoreditch Town Hall. The lineup boasts more than 800 speakers — including Tom Quinn and the Russo Brothers — 200 music showcases and more than 40 film screenings. Roughly 25,000 people from 85 countries attended the inaugural edition, and despite rapidly heightening global tensions, organizers are expecting a similar international turnout this time around.
“We absolutely have the same DNA as Austin, which is this idea of a multi-hyphenate festival across different sectors,” Arnander says. “But what makes London different is that because it is such a hotbed of creativity, we lean into the creative industries more.”
