SXSW is adding a Podcast Festival to its 2027 lineup in Austin, organizers announced on Tuesday. The medium now joins Innovation, Film & TV, Music and Comedy as the weeklong con’s core pillars.

“One of the event’s fastest-growing programming categories, podcasts have
become an increasingly important part of SXSW through live tapings and industry
conversations,” per a press release. “The new Podcast Festival, running March 17-20 and open to all SXSW badgeholders, will bring talent, platforms, brands, marketers and the broader podcast industry together in one dedicated home.”

“2026 proved that we can evolve the event while preserving the discovery, connection and creativity that make it special. We heard amazing feedback from attendees, with 2027 PanelPicker submissions and Music and Film & TV festival applications up by as much as 50 percent so far,” said Greg Rosenbaum, SVP of Programming at SXSW. “For 2027, we’re building on what worked by creating more intentional hubs across downtown Austin, giving growing communities like podcasting a bigger platform, and making it easier for attendees to find the ideas, people and opportunities that matter to them. There is much more to come as we continue to build toward SXSW 2027.”

Additionally, South by Southwest has set some new venue locations, badge options and programming for next year’s event in March.

The Music Clubhouse will now be held at The Thompson hotel, with Music Conference programming at The Thompson and The Westin hotels. The Film & TV Festival will host major premieres, screenings and red carpets at ACL Live at
The Moody Theater while the Paramount Theatre undergoes restorations, with its Conference relocating to The Driskill and Stephen F. Austin hotels. The Innovation Conference, meanwhile, has updated its tracks to include Lifestyle, Sports and Gaming.

Elsewhere, SXSW is introducing the CxO Badge, a premium experience for C-Suite executives and founders, while local Texans with a 512 area code will also be invited to use the 512 Club as a home base. Additional details still to come.

SXSW 2027 runs March 15-21, with SXSW EDU running March 13-16.