SXSW Sydney industry partnership
Partnership team
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Colin Daniels, Managing Director, SXSW Sydney 2023 & 2024
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Dr Alana Piper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement and Partnerships)
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Professor. Kylie Readman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students)
Industry partner
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SXSW Sydney
Project dates
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2023 - ongoing
UN Sustainable Development Goals
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4. Quality Education
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8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Posted on 28 Feb 2025
- 5-minute read
UTS and SXSW Sydney partner to drive creativity and innovation on a global stage.
For the past two years, UTS has partnered with SXSW Sydney to support their global event, finding common ground in their shared commitment to creativity, innovation and technology.
As the event's education and workshops partner, UTS offered access to expert minds, top-tier facilities and connections to Sydney’s Tech Central precinct, while SXSW Sydney provided a global platform for creativity, tech and culture. Together, they created a world-class event that showcases the best of Australian culture and innovation.
- SXSW Sydney celebrates innovation in design, music, film, gaming and technology. The week-long event features 1000+ sessions and activities, attracting over 300,000 visits from people around the wor
- The partnership offers mutual benefits. SXSW Sydney gains a prime venue in Sydney’s innovation precinct, support from UTS staff and interns, and access to expert speakers. UTS showcases its campus,
- SXSW Sydney gains valuable support from UTS student interns in organising and marketing the event, as well as student contributions to showcase and community activities. UTS students enjoy exclusive
For the past two years, UTS and South by Southwest Sydney (SXSW Sydney) have teamed up to create a world-class event held in the heart of Sydney’s innovation precinct.
Designed to inspire and connect, the SXSW Sydney festival brings together creative minds, curious learners, tech enthusiasts and industry leaders across design, gaming, film, music, education, entrepreneurship and culture.
As the 2023 and 2024 Official Education Partner and Conference Workshop Partner, UTS played a key role in shaping this dynamic festival.
In 2024, the event stretched from the ICC to Chippendale, attracting more than 92,000 attendees for 1600 sessions and events featuring more than 1400 speakers and artists.
The festival buzzed with energy, sparking ideas and fostering meaningful connections.
A partnership built on shared values
Thanks to their mutual values of creativity, innovation and technology, UTS and SXSW Sydney have worked together to drive this success.
“UTS has a proud tradition and history in the creative industries,” says Dr Alana Piper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement and Partnerships). “Creativity, innovation and technology really are part of our DNA.”
“We’re one of the top 100 universities globally, and our focus is on real-world impact – developing practical solutions, listening to our partners and sharing knowledge to make a difference. We’re excited that this partnership with SXSW Sydney is bringing new vibrancy and life to the innovation precinct.”
Colin Daniels - Managing Director, SXSW Sydney 2023 & 2024 - adds: “What makes UTS a great partner is its flexibility and adaptability. SXSW Sydney is a unique event, and we’ve worked together to define what success looks like for both of us. Our partnership has been a success for two years now.”
UTS comes with a base of exactly what SXSW is all about – innovation, tech and the creative industries and looking towards the future.
A hub for innovation and collaboration
SXSW Sydney hosted its main conference across UTS’s iconic buildings, making full use of its venue spaces, facilities and event support.
As part of Sydney’s Tech Central precinct, UTS is an ideal setting for tech, innovation and creative collaboration. The partnership gave SXSW Sydney access to UTS’s state of the art facilities and the chance to connect with its network of like-minded people and organisations.
For UTS, it was an opportunity to showcase its facilities, experts, commitment to technology and strong industry ties.
One standout feature was UTS House, set in the Frank Gehry-designed UTS Business School. Over five days, this dynamic networking hub welcomed more than 330 SXSW Sydney badge holders. The space hosted a variety of panel sessions led by UTS experts on topics aligned with the SXSW Sydney program, giving attendees opportunities to exchange ideas and forge valuable connections.
UTS activated its Data Arena for an immersive tech experience, while the Great Hall in the UTS Tower became home to the SXSW Sydney Games Showcase. This interactive event brought together independent game developers, industry professionals, students and gaming enthusiasts for hands-on demos, panel discussions and more. UTS also hosted pre-event launches and the opening night Platinum Party in the Great Hall.
Meanwhile, the UTS Underground bar transformed into a music venue for Rolling Stone, showcasing five nights of performances.
These activations brought more than 4500 additional visitors to the event, reinforcing the collaborative impact of the partnership.
It was fantastic to see some of our experts and students showcase their knowledge and expertise, especially in creative technology areas like AI.
Student experiences across the event
A key benefit of the partnership between UTS and SXSW Sydney is the hands-on opportunities it creates for students.
In 2024, six UTS students secured internships with SXSW Sydney, working across partnerships, conference programming, and event operations. More than 40 other students participated in exclusive mentoring workshops in games, screen and music, connecting with industry professionals and gaining valuable insights.
This collaboration helped UTS deliver on its commitment to real-world learning, giving students the chance to apply their knowledge and gain practical experience at a dynamic global event.
SXSW Sydney also benefited from the support of UTS student interns, who played a key role in the event’s success. From marketing to festival programming, they worked across various areas to help ensure the festival ran smoothly.
“Having the UTS interns as part of SXSW Sydney was an integral part of the event’s development,” says Daniels.
“They came with enthusiasm, they were keen to learn, and they wanted to participate in as much as possible.”
Outside of internships, the partnership offered UTS students exciting opportunities to display their skills in design, technology, gaming and film, while also providing SXSW Sydney with vibrant and engaging community experiences.
Students participated in a design competition to create official SXSW Sydney merchandise, with the winning designs featured on T-shirts sold to the public.
Students from the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology (FEIT) showcased their motorsports, rocketry and robotics projects at the Innovation Showcase at Tumbalong Park.
Three teams of students from the Bachelor of Games Development participated in the SXSW Sydney Games Festival, with one team winning the Best Student Game Award, further highlighting the talent UTS brought to the festival.
The festival gave UTS students a valuable opportunity to gain exposure and showcase their skills to industry professionals. At the same time, SXSW Sydney furthered its vision of supporting the next generation of creatives and innovators.
“Putting on an event like SXSW Sydney takes more than a village. Having the UTS interns from the start was essential to our partnership’s success,” says Colin Daniels.
I was really excited to see our students doing internships with SXSW Sydney. They gained great experiences and connected with professionals from around the world.
Building long-term impact
“Few events match SXSW Sydney’s unique vibe and spirit, carried over from Austin,” says Daniels.
“But it’s a spirit UTS embraced from the very beginning.”
Over the past two years, the partnership between SXSW Sydney and UTS has delivered significant benefits — not just for the organisations involved, but also for the community, the education sector and the broader tech and innovation precinct.
This collaboration has sparked meaningful discussions, created opportunities for knowledge sharing, and advanced creativity and technology.
“The events industry is the ultimate perishable product,” Daniels explains.
“We worked closely with UTS throughout the year, holding regular meetings to discuss alumni involvement, venue spaces and ways to maximise the partnership for both organisations and the education sector.”
Looking ahead, the potential is immense.
“The future of this partnership should be long-term,” Daniels adds.
“One day, we hope to see some of today’s students delivering keynotes, launching startups or showcasing their innovations on the main stage at SXSW Sydney.”
SXSW Sydney
Dedicated to helping creative people achieve their goals, SXSW Sydney is for anyone with a desire for discovery. With more than 1,000 sessions and events for 300,000+ attendees, we’re creating a platform for countless connections that drive new ideas forward across Asia Pacific and beyond.
