How Creatives Can Get the Most Out of SXSW | Blog
Going to South by Southwest (SXSW)--the annual conference with the goal to help creatives achieve their goals--can be an incredible method of finding new inspiration. It can also be a bit overwhelming. With all the events included in the 10 day festival across tech, film as well as education, music and even culture, it may be hard to determine what you can get from your tickets.
Quick Links
- Find Inspiration from Exhibitions and Panels
- Meet fellow Creatives
- Follow the Direction by Your New Friends
- Explore Other Media
- Bring Your Sketchbook
5 Ways Creatives Can Get the Most Value from SXSW
1. Be inspired by showcases and Panels
If you do nothing but go see the musicians performing and the film screenings as well as the incredible speakers You'll walk away from SXSW with more ideas than you'll know what else is possible to accomplish. There's so much to do that it's best to set aside your time prior to the festival to create your perfect schedule (for official festivals, you can do this using the SXSW application).
Accept the fact that you aren't able to pick everything, prioritize a few most important choices every day, as well as save backups of events in case an event reaches capacity before you can access it.
2. Begin to Meet Other Creatives
The events, panel discussions, and parties are great However, many say the most enjoyable part of SXSW is those you interact with. You can make this happen through official meetup events: Some notable options for those who are creative include the design community, female filmmakers and musicians, and the general meetup for creatives.
However, you may have conversation with those who are around you at gatherings or in lines--some folks even say they meet interesting people on their flight from Austin to Austin! Avoid the urge to check your mobile during your down time and use the time to get to know other people who are also interested in the future of creative thinking.
3. Follow the lead of your New Friends
When you begin to meet people, it's not a bad idea to throw your schedule to the wind and be somewhat spontanious. You're likely to discover interesting events that aren't official around town, panels others have a passion for that you would never have considered, and more chances to schedule your time with exciting ways to interact with interesting new people.
The best part? Just the act of embracing spontaneity could boost your creative potential and innovation. So by doing this you'll have a more interesting SXSW Experience and improve your capacity to experiment and expand your practice of creativity.
4. Investigate Different Mediums
There's so much happening, it can be tempting to remain in your own creative lane: You like music, so you only go to the concert showcases and you're a film maker, therefore you plan on sticking to the film track. Many creatives believe that the best way to discover your own voice and create work unlike others is to allow yourself be inspired by creatives outside the boundaries of what you are working in.
5. Bring Your Sketchbook
When you're in need of some time from the walking you'll (inevitably) likely to be taking, you can pull the notebook out and record everything that has impressed you.