Global Community Meets in Austin to Exploit Convergence Opportunities at SXSW 2010

Global Community Meets in Austin to Exploit Convergence Opportunities at SXSW
2010

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The South by Southwest (SXSW)
Conferences & Festivals offer a unique convergence of original music,
independent films, and emerging technologies. Fostering creative and
professional growth alike, SXSW is known as the place where "tomorrow happens
here." Hosting visionary thinkers from around the globe, SXSW has become the
premier annual destination for discovery in the worlds of music, film and
interactive media. SXSW 2010 will run March 12 through March 21 in Austin,
Texas.

Clearly, this message has gotten out to the international community for whom
developing the artistic and commercial opportunities of digital media are
paramount. Internationals participate in SXSW to network, to raise the
profile of the organizations they represent with influential people in the US
and to use SXSW to publicize and market their work. The number of trade show
stands booked to date has already increased over 2009. Confirmed European
stands for the SXSW Music and Media Conference include Berlin, Catalonia, the
City of the Hague (Den Haag), Hamburg, Ireland, Spain and the UK.

The UK will be represented across all three festivals with a Platinum trade
stand presence and an unprecedented participation of creative industry
creators and business people. "The UK has a great tradition of collaboration
between its creative industries, generating a wide range of commercial and
creative opportunities worldwide," says Phil Patterson, International Business
Specialist for Music, UK Trade & Investment. " March 2010 will see an
innovative, high quality UK contingent attending all three SXSW events. We
have exciting plans to bring these three together to present a strong and
cohesive presence with convergence activity and coordinated marketing of the
UK creative industries."

While SXSW Music is already well known as the premier US launching pad for
international discoveries, the global reach of all three conferences continues
to expand with an exciting line-up of speakers from around the world. On
Tuesday, March 16, SXSW Interactive will feature a keynote conversation with
Swedish native Daniel Ek, co-founder and CEO of Spotify. With offices in
London, Stockholm, Paris and Madrid, this legal online music service has
dramatically changed the way consumers access and enjoy music. Keynote
speakers for Sunday, March 14 and Monday, March 15 will be announced shortly.

SXSW Interactive will also feature a host of international entrepreneurs and
innovators such as Creative Commons CEO, activist, entrepreneur, and
Dubai-based venture capitalist Joi Ito; Clare Reddington, UK creative
technology research expert and director of iShed and the Pervasive Media
Studio; and Alex Will, co-CEO of Spoonfed, the "smart, definitive guide to
what's on in London".

SXSW Film, which brings together a unique mix of talent, smart audiences and
industry heavyweights, will show more than 300 films at the 2010 event.
Academy Award-winning Argentine composer, solo artist and producer Gustavo
Santaolalla, who has scored films as diverse as Babel and Brokeback Mountain,
is confirmed to appear at SXSW Film in a featured conversation with BMI's
Doreen Ringer Ross.

New for 2010, SXSW Film has created the "Excellence in Title Design"
competition as a special contest to discover the best in contemporary title
sequence design. Eligibility is open internationally to all title sequences
that exist as part of a completed film finished in 2009 or later. SXSW will
showcase accepted Title Sequences at a dedicated screening during the event,
and entries will be eligible for both a Special Jury Award and an Audience
Award. The deadline to submit is December 4.

SXSW Music will welcome Feargal Sharkey, the former lead singer in The
Undertones who, as Chief Executive of UK Music - the umbrella organization
that brings together the collective interests of the UK's commercial music
industry - will argue that tech businesses, ISPs and music companies must
urgently establish new partnerships to unlock digital's true potential.
Alongside his views on the future of music, Sharkey will also work in tales of
his rock 'n roll days with the Undertones.

SXSW Music Festival, which presents bands from as many as 50 countries each
year, is accepting showcase applications for music acts to perform at the 2010
music festival. Applications must be submitted no later than November 6, 2009.
Sonicbids is the exclusive online musical event submission platform of the
2010 SXSW Music Festival. To apply, go to
http://www.sxsw.com/music/shows/apply .

For more information on South by Southwest, visit http://sxsw.com.

South by Southwest Conferences and Festivals are sponsored by Miller Lite,
Sonicbids, Microsoft Silverlight and The Austin Chronicle.

For more information about SXSW International, please contact Tracy Mann at
tmann@mglimited.com or +1-212-532-3184. For more information about SXSW,
please contact Elizabeth Derczo at elizabeth@sxsw.com or 512/467-7979 ext.
209.

SOURCE SXSW

Tracy Mann of SXSW International, +1-212-532-3184, tmann@mglimited.com, or
Elizabeth Derczo of SXSW, +1-512-467-7979, ext. 209, elizabeth@sxsw.com