It often sucks being an artist – I know this because I hear you lot talking about it quite a bit. I don’t think you’re wrong, mind, but I do think there are things you can do about at least some of it.
While the rules might keep shifting under your feet, SXSW Sydney’s conference stuff – the bits filled with grown-ups and no music, the stuff that you’d normally avoid like the pox – can actually give you the business skills, tech literacy, and mental wellbeing tools you need to make a go of it in a world that is seemingly trying to make you work for free.
While I focus on the gigs, the conference sessions at SXSW (either here in Sydney or in Austin) have also been among some of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. Lou Reed, Stevie Nicks, or Dave Grohl in Texas, or Imagine The Rapper here in Oz – hearing those artists talk instead of perform were immense experiences. I don’t even work in the music industry and I still use the stuff I’ve learned over the years.
You get to hear from smart people willing to share their knowledge, so don’t knock it. From what’s been announced so far, these are the themes I’m seeing in the sessions I’ve picked out as most relevant to artists (there are tons more than this!).
For the record, I don’t necessarily agree with the concepts or ideas in these sessions. For example, I find the whole concept of focussing on superfans to be problematic from a marketing science standpoint, and literally any use of AI when it comes to making music is dangerous ground for me.
However, all of these sessions will contribute to your growth, either as something to do, something to investigate, or something not to do at all.
All the sessions can be seen on the official SXSW Sydney site, and I’ll try and keep this list updated as it expands.
Updates:
- 5th Aug
The Business of Being an Artist
The first major theme – unsurprisingly for this event – is turning creativity into a sustainable business. Sessions are dedicated to leveraging merchandise as a primary revenue stream, mastering social media with savvy creator collaborations, and using superfans as an engine to build a global fanbase. This focus is all about giving artists the toolkit to navigate the modern industry and build a career with real longevity.
Beyond the Merch Table: The Future of Music Merchandise & Fan Engagement
Get actionable insights on turning merch into a primary revenue stream and a powerful tool for engaging your fans.
Breaking out of your Geobubble
Understand the “Geobubble” and get practical strategies to break through it to grow your audience at home and abroad.
Building Global Superfans: How Artists Can Use Direct-To-Fan Engagement To Break Into New Global Markets
Learn how to leverage your most dedicated fans to export your music and build a truly global fanbase.
Finding Fan Archetypes: The Secret Side of Digital
Discover how to use human psychology and social media to build a targeted audience and get in front of new fans.
From Streams to Stages: Breaking Artists into Global Markets
Learn actionable frameworks to translate online success into a sustainable international career while staying true to your art.
Innovators meetup for Music Tech and Music enterprises attending SXSW Sydney
Find out how new tech solutions and services could make your life easier and more efficient as a creative.
Turning Sounds to Streams: How To Crack the Code of Creator-Led Music Marketing
Get insights from artists and creators on how to run effective campaigns and turn social media hype into results.
From Passion to Paycheck: Cracking the Creator Economy
Learn to navigate the creator economy, find your niche, and leverage new opportunities for audience growth and revenue.
AI and the Future of Creativity
Another prominent theme – also predictable, but unquestionably important – is the complex and often challenging world of AI. The sessions explore everything from the pressing issues of copyright and ownership to its potential as a creative partner. There are also conversations about democratising technology through no-code app development and even the bigger, more philosophical questions about the nature of human creativity itself in the face of machine intelligence.
AI is Here to Stay, So How Do Artists Stay Ahead?
Learn to protect your unique art and navigate the new legal and financial landscape as AI changes how we make music.
Next-Gen AI Music Creation Workshop
Learn how to fine-tune an AI model with your own music, creating a unique sonic tool that works for you.
There Is No Algorithm For Creativity
Explore the debate on AI and creativity to understand the true value of your artistic spark in a changing world.
Wellbeing and Empowerment
Finally, there is a strong undercurrent of personal empowerment and wellbeing. This includes sessions specifically on mental health, but also on building your own tools and controlling your narrative. This focus on personal development underscores the idea that a sustainable career is built on more than just the music; it’s also about a deep commitment to personal health and creative autonomy.
Ash King (Support Act)
Learn practical tools to manage your mind, find purpose, and stay happy and creative while navigating the music grind.
Build Your Own Agentic AI Mobile & Web App in 90 Minutes
Build and deploy a no-code mobile app in just 90 minutes for creative fan engagement and promotional projects.
How AI agents are changing the creator game
A session on how to democratise app development, giving artists the power to build tools with natural language.