The SXSW Experience

    The professional association that I’ll be discussing is the SXSW Music Conference and Festival. The very first conference was held 1987 in Austin, Texas. Outside it’s reputation for being a party town, the city of Austin is probably the last place you’d think that would be hosting a music conference. Perhaps, maybe that’s why people are so amazed by the large number of individuals who attend the conference. Having had lived in San Antonio for a number of years, gave me an opportunity to absorb the diverse culture in Austin. Indeed, the whole experience is different because it’s so many varieties of music there. Surprisingly, the popularity of the SXSW has sored almost immediately.  Artists travel from all over to network and interact with individuals who share the same passion for music. More importantly, record executives have begun attending this event in hopes of getting a glimpse of up and coming artists, also so they can consult with other labels. SXSW holds special workshops that are geared towards the film and music industry. Secondly, they have guest speakers that share their knowledge and their opinions of the industry. Therefore, the festival is tailor-made for live bands and underground artists that want to be discovered. I admit that, the music industry is very challenging and  much more difficult to succeed in. Moreover, industry outlets have become smaller and smaller, which makes it a lot harder to discover new talent.

   In so many ways, artists need these types of venues to educate their minds, and also to sharpen their business and networking skills.  Over the years, the conference followers have grown from over 700 registered attendants to almost 12,000. The SXSW conference has so much to offer, that I must take the time to attend the next one. The music industry constantly changes by the second, so individuals who are concerned with furthering their careers should attend these type events. Some of the artist and guest speakers include, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Bruce Springsteen, Conan O’Brien, and Big Sean. So, if you have any interest in becoming more educated and cultured about your industry, SXSW is definitely the way to go. 

http://sxsw.com/
http://www.austintexas.org