EU@SXSW: Why We Went & What We Accomplished
The 2017 iteration of South by Southwest (SXSW), the annual interactive conference mashup of film, music and technology, wrapped up this week in Austin, TX. SXSW, or “South By” to its aficionados, has evolved almost beyond recognition since it began in 1987. And one of the most notable additions to this 30th anniversary year? The participation, for the first time, of the European Union. Many of our Member States have been going to SXSW ‘bilaterally’ for quite some time, and a number of non-EU countries have a long-standing and high profile presence. But this year the EU had its own venue (or “House”, in SXSW parlance) at Palm Door on Sixth, where we staged two and a half days of programming and events.
Why were we there? What were we doing? Taking the EU and SXSW in their own words it might seem a stretch for “a unique political and economic union between 28 countries that together cover much of the European continent” to see a place for itself at a trio of conferences and festivals that “celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries.” For the answer, I point you to the phrase “one of the most diverse, collaborative, and inventive communities in the world.” This is from SXSW’s own website, though it could equally be used to describe the European Union. And that’s what we have in common. We were at SXSW because we wanted to take new insights from the EU, particularly in the areas of innovation, technology, film and creativity, to the SXSW community. And I think we succeeded.
Take a look at our SXSW program to see the extent and breadth of what the EU offered the SXSW audience this year. We, in the form of EU Ambassador David O’Sullivan and Counselor for the Digital Economy Andrea Glorioso, participating in the official SXSW agenda as panelists and speakers, addressing some of the key policy issues around technology, information privacy and the digital single market. At our own “EU House” we managed to cram in an implausibly broad and truly pan-European array of film presentations, events and panel discussions into two and a half days, along with showcasing ten of the best tech startups from across the European Union.
When we weren’t hosting events of our own, the various staff behind the EU@SXSW presence fanned out across the formal and informal SXSW agendas, talking policy and creativity with the vibrant community who travel to Austin each year. And whether we were talking with established corporations whose brands we come across every day, or with disruptive new market entrants who might well be household names a few years from now, the response was the same: Wow, it’s so great to see the EU here; we didn’t realise the EU had an interest in this topic; thanks for sharing your insights with us; how can we work together? When can we follow up? That sounds like success to me, and I hope we’ll be back next year.
Since I got back people have asked me, of all the panels, talks, and other sessions I attended, which was my favourite? That’s easy. The legendary Buzz Aldrin, second human being on the Moon, talking with TIME magazine editor-at-large Jeffrey Kluger about how we get to, and survive on, Mars. As a space nerd since childhood this was a really quite special experience. And as part of EU@SXSW it was heartening to hear him talk of the importance of multinational cooperation, the need for the US to collaborate with international partners — including Europe and the European Space Agency — if humankind is going to continue to reach for the stars. You can watch the full discussion here.
Watch livestream videos of EU@SXSW events here. To see the full schedule of programs and events, click here.
