South by Southwest has revealed new details, including a first wave of conference programming, for its 40th anniversary event, taking place March 12–18 in downtown Austin. 

For the first time, SXSW will feature a fully integrated seven-day schedule across its trio of core programs, with downtown Austin transforming into a creative village anchored by three “clubhouses” — Innovation at Brazos Hall, Film & TV at 800 Congress, and Music at The Downright — designed to simplify navigation and foster collaboration throughout the all-in-one event.

To enhance accessibility, SXSW 2026 will introduce a refreshed badge system with daily reservations — another first for the festival. Platinum badge holders gain access to all clubhouses and programming, plus three reservations daily with priority booking. Innovation, Film & TV, and Music badge holders receive two daily reservations, access to their dedicated clubhouse and entry to keynotes and featured sessions.

Greg Rosenbaum, SXSW’s svp of programming, emphasized that the 40th year focuses on delivering a “more rewarding” attendee experience, adding, “the programming we’re unveiling shows the incredible range of conversations that define SXSW — from how AI is reshaping creativity and business, to the future of media and marketing, to bold ideas on human connection.”

SXSW continues to build on its four-decade legacy as a premier music, arts, film and technology conference and festival, first launched in Austin, in 1987. Since Penske Media — parent company of Billboard — acquired a majority stake two years ago, the brand has expanded its reach to three continents, now hosting flagship events in Austin, Sydney and London.

Over 50 Conference sessions have been announced, spanning topics like AI, media, marketing, health and climate. Attendees can join The All-American Rejects for a conversation on independent touring, check out a discussion on independence in music with Russ and TuneCore CEO Andreea Gleeson, and check out futurist Amy Webb’s Emerging Tech Trend Report, among others.

Featured Session Highlights (via SXSW):

5 Non-Obvious Secrets of Human Connection (For Love & Profit): Rohit Bhargava (Non-Obvious Company Founder & Chief Trend Curator) shares five counterintuitive secrets for building authentic human connection in a tech-driven world.

5 Traits of Successful AI Projects: From Pilot to Real ROI: Sandy Carter (Chief Business Development Officer & COO, Unstoppable Domains) reveals the roadmap for turning AI pilots into scalable, ROI-driven successes.

Actionable Ikigai: Career Planning in the Age of AI:Join Mike Bechtel (Futurist, University of Notre Dame) as he explores how to apply the Japanese concept of ikigai to build meaningful careers in an AI-driven world.

A Conversation with The All-American Rejects: The All-American Rejects discuss their House Party Tour and how independent artists can build community-driven touring experiences outside traditional venues.

Amy Webb Launches 2026 Emerging Tech Trend Report: Renowned futurist Amy Webb (CEO, Future Today Strategy Group) unveils her annual forecast on the technologies set to shape the year ahead.

Breaking Through Barriers to Innovation: Lessons from Space and Earth: Dava Newman (Apollo Professor of Astronautics, MIT) reveals bold strategies for harnessing breakthroughs in AI, climate, energy, and space to drive transformative innovation.

A Conversation with Jack Conte: Join Jack Conte (CEO and co-founder, Patreon) for a discussion on the current state and future of the creator economy.

How CMOs are Rewriting the Rules of Connection: Lauren Stafford Webb (Chief Marketing Officer, SoFi), Brian Irving (Chief Marketing Officer, Lyft), and Allison Stransky (Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung Electronics America) join Axios reporter Eleanor Hawkins for a conversation on how today’s CMOs are using AI to supercharge growth in personalized experiences.

How to Design a Company That AI Can’t Outpace: Ian Beacraft (CEO, Signal and Cipher) explores how to future-proof organizations by building strategies AI can’t outrun.

The Latticework of Mental Models For a Great Life: Mohnish Pabrai (Founder and Managing Partner, Pabrai Investment Funds) explores the mental models that have guided his biggest decisions, sharing timeless lessons and new insights on building a successful and fulfilling life.

Make Your Own Wave – Russ & Andreea Gleeson on Independence: Russ (Artist/Author/Co-Founder, DIEMON) and Andreea Gleeson (Chief Executive Officer, TuneCore) discuss how independence, fan engagement, and alternative strategies fueled Russ’s global success.

Reclaiming Our Humanity in the Age of AI:Timnit Gebru (Founder & Executive Director, DAIR), John Palfrey (President, MacArthur Foundation), and journalist Karen Hao explore how to ensure AI serves people rather than controls them.

Social Media Masterclass 2026 with Ex-YouTube & Instagram Insider: Jon Youshaei (Founder, Youshaei Studios) reveals how great ideas fuel great content and social media success.

SuperJoost’s State of Play 2026: Joost van Dreunen (Video Games Professor, NYU & Co-Founder, ALDORA) delivers SXSW’s annual briefing on how games forecast the future of media, tech, and culture.

The Innovation Engine You’ve Never Heard of: Your Neighbor: André Zdanow (President, FirstBuild) shows how GE Appliances turned community co-creation, rapid failures, and crowdfunding into million-dollar product successes.

The Science of Scaling: Using Data to Decide When—and How Fast—to Scale Revenue: Mark Roberge (Co-Founder, Stage 2 Capital) discusses how startups and innovators can use data to determine when and how fast to scale sales.

Trusted, Valued, Essential: Why PBS is Here to Stay, With or Without Federal Funding: A fireside chat with Paula Kerger (President & CEO, PBS) on how funding cuts tested resilience, rallied communities, and proved PBS delivers what commercial media cannot.

Why Saying Yes to the Unthinkable Works: Raja Rajamannar (Chief Marketing Officer, Mastercard) reveals how bold ideas once dismissed as impossible became breakthrough successes, and why leaders should embrace unpolished thinking to spark real impact.