From 2 to 7 June, Shoreditch won’t sleep.
The inaugural European edition of SXSW is about to take over East London, and the final lineup is out. It includes over 860 speakers, 600 music performances, and 110 screenings. More than a festival, this is the city’s newest collision point of culture, creativity, and global ambition.
New additions to the programme include Sophie Turner, Marina Abramović, Regina King, Jimmy Wales, Rankin, and Ed Balls. On the red carpet? Orlando Bloom, Bryce Dallas Howard, Nick Mohammed, Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Munroe Bergdorf.
Musically, the spotlight hits Grammy winner Erykah Badu (under her DJ name Lo Down Loretta Brown), alongside Henry Lau and Nile Rodgers.
And it doesn’t stop there.
- Marina Abramović will appear with Hans Ulrich Obrist at Protein Studios.
- Rankin and Charles Jeffrey will feature at Abbey Road’s Studio Four.
- Panels include Letitia Wright, Ellie Simmonds, Munya Chawawa, and Dina Asher-Smith.
There’s also an impressive list of community and purpose-led partners: The King’s Trust, The Alan Turing Institute, Idris Elba’s Hope Foundation, and the Royal Foundation, to name a few. Even OpenAI is in the mix.
On the fashion front, SXSW London joins forces with the British Fashion Council and Fashion District, with keynotes from Nicholas Daley, Andrea Baldo (Mulberry), and panels with LABRUM, Saul Nash and more.
SXSW London is more than a copy-paste of Austin. It’s a reimagining. One rooted in Europe, unapologetically shaped by London’s scene, and eager to reflect a continent that’s often overlooked in global creative discourse.
Expect packed streets. Packed lineups. And a loud declaration that the future of SXSW might just be British.
The full schedule is live now via the SXSW London app. Passes are available. And if you’re not going, you might want to avoid Shoreditch next week unless you enjoy queuing behind people in sunglasses at 9AM.
Moey writes here. 
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