Austin Ventures in SXSW 2020 Explorations
The South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival and Conference is currently underway in Austin, Texas, running from March 9th to the 22nd. This year's event is packed with a variety of panels and sessions that explore the evolving music industries, the role of music cities as cultural hubs, and workforce growth and equity.
One of the key participants in these discussions is Innovating Music @UCLAAlpert, which is involved in multiple sessions throughout the festival.
EU@SXSW: A European Perspective
EU@SXSW, a European perspective on cutting-edge technologies, creative thinking, and innovation, is taking place from March 14th to 16th. This event, held at Maggie Mae's, 323 E. 6th St., Austin, TX, is free of charge and is not an official SXSW event. Sessions at EU@SXSW are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The discussion at EU@SXSW will focus on the blurring lines of today's music industry, the evolving power structures, and how to get the most out of intellectual property. The session on March 16th, from 2-3 pm, will be moderated by Gigi Louisa Johnson from Innovating Music@UCLA Alpert, and will feature Storm Gloor from the University of Colorado, Denver.
Music Workforce Development: Hiring Post-College
Another official SXSW event, "Music Workforce Development: Hiring Post-College," is happening on March 12th, from 3:30-4:30 pm at the Austin Convention Center, Room 18CD. This session includes speakers Ted Cohen, Gigi Johnson, Natalie Perardi, and Don Pitts, and will focus on the impacts of innovative Music Cities, best practices, and policy recommendations for local change.
Other SXSW Sessions
There are several other interesting sessions at SXSW this year. On March 10th, there's "Music Education: Beyond the Classroom," and on March 18th, you can catch "AI and the Future of Musical Creativity," "Concerts in the Era of Spatial Computing," and "Music Cities of the Future: What You Need to Know."
Music & Non-Profits Meet-Up: Agents of Change
On March 19th, there's a "Music & Non-Profits Meet-Up: Agents of Change" happening at the Austin Convention Center, Austin Suite.
Global Influences and Equity in Music Cities
SXSW 2021 has also showcased panels that bring out themes of global influences on music scenes, technology's role in music creativity, and equitable workforce development. For instance, the "Enter the K-Bass" panel focused on Seoul's electronic music scene and how UK-rooted genres like grime and garage are shaping K-pop production.
Another panel, "Ethics & Innovation: AI at the Crossroads of Creativity," addressed how AI tools impact artistic workflows, copyright, and the future workforce in music, featuring expert industry perspective on legal and creative challenges at the intersection of technology and music creation.
The POWER UP program’s announcement of participants supporting Black music creators and professionals also highlighted workforce development with emphasis on equity and career advancement within the music industry.
While these detailed sessions from SXSW 2021 specifically bring out themes of global influences on music scenes, technology's role in music creativity, and equitable workforce development, other referenced events (e.g., VIFF Amp) relate more broadly to music's role in media rather than SXSW 2021 itself.
Overall, SXSW 2021 has proven to be a vibrant platform for discussions and sessions that combine cultural, technological, and social aspects central to evolving music industries, cities as cultural hubs, and workforce growth and equity. However, attending the sessions at SXSW requires conference registration.
- The discussion at EU@SXSW, held from March 14th to 16th, will focus on the blurring lines of today's music industry, the evolving power structures, and how to get the most out of intellectual property.
- Gigi Louisa Johnson from Innovating Music@UCLA Alpert will be moderating a session at EU@SXSW on March 16th, from 2-3 pm, featuring Storm Gloor from the University of Colorado, Denver.
- "Music Workforce Development: Hiring Post-College," an official SXSW event, includes speakers Ted Cohen, Gigi Johnson, Natalie Perardi, and Don Pitts, and will focus on the impacts of innovative Music Cities, best practices, and policy recommendations for local change.
- At SXSW 2021, panels such as "Enter the K-Bass" and "Ethics & Innovation: AI at the Crossroads of Creativity" have brought out themes of global influences on music scenes, technology's role in music creativity, and equitable workforce development.
