Based in 1987 in Austin, Texas, South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual convention that brings collectively greater than 300,000 professionals within the movie, TV, music, training, and tech industries.
In 2024 alone, featured audio system embrace embrace Jane Fonda, Dwyane Wade, Alex Cooper, and Daisy Ridley.
All of which is to say: It‘s a large occasion centered round numerous artistic verticals. So who higher to talk on creativity than SXSW’s Co-President, Hugh Forrest?
As Forrest places it, “Our north star has at all times been creativity. I have been with the occasion for over 30 years, and the occasion has modified quite a bit over that point interval … However what hasn’t modified is our concentrate on creativity.”
Let‘s dive into a few of Hugh’s prime suggestions for injecting creativity into any occasion planning course of. Involved in listening to the total interview? Test it out on the Hustle Daily show.
How you can Inject Creativity Into Your Subsequent Excessive-Attendance Occasion
1. Permit creatives to study from different creatives.
One of many largest advantages of large-scale occasions is the chance to community with professionals exterior of your vertical.
As a marketer, I‘m not at all times considering studying from different entrepreneurs. Generally, I’ve discovered essentially the most inspiration in conversations with script-writers, educators, or social media creators.
Hugh Forrest believes wholeheartedly within the energy of interdisciplinary networking.
He says, “Particularly, we have seen how totally different sorts of artistic folks can study from one another. For those who’re a musician, you’ll be able to study quite a bit from connecting with different musicians … However you’ll be able to study much more from connecting with an innovator within the meals house, or an athlete, or somebody who’s doing a tech startup.”
In case your occasion is overly-siloed, it will likely be troublesome to foster the kind of collaboration and creativity that your attendees crave. As a substitute, think about the way you would possibly merge seemingly-opposite teams of execs to work together and study from one another.
2. Keep targeted in your neighborhood and what issues to them.
Forrest says that SXSW has at all times mirrored the creativity in Austin, Texas.
When SXSW first started in 1987, they fully targeted on music — after which, in 1994 when Austin grew to become a burgeoning movie scene, SXSW tailored and added movie and multimedia.
Extra just lately, when the College of Texas added a medical faculty, SXSW launched well being and medical know-how into their content material lineup.
As Austin expands and shifts its pursuits, so does SXSW. Finally, Forrest has found one essential part of long-term success within the occasion business: Keep on-top of what issues to your viewers, and discover methods to pivot when applicable.
Click on right here to hearken to the full podcast episode here.
As he places it, “I imply, if we’re related, if we’re compelling, if we’re enhancing, a lot of that’s as a result of we’re very in contact with our neighborhood or the varied communities we serve—whether or not that is bands and filmmakers for the movie and TV competition, or entrepreneurs, innovators, and creators. The occasion has thrived for 35 years due to this concentrate on huge creativity in all its many varieties.”
He provides, “If Austin continues to push into AI and turns into this world middle for AI innovation, we’ll push much more into AI at South by Southwest. If Austin turns into the sneaker capital of the world, then we’ll see much more sneaker stuff in Austin.”
Equally, when you think about testing out new content material at your subsequent occasion, maintain your neighborhood on the forefront.
AI is a trending matter proper now, however are you positive your neighborhood cares about it? Or are they extra considering studying methods to develop their TikTok following? Leaning into the content material that applies to your neighborhood will likely be key to creating a satisfying and high-attended occasion.
3. AI is more and more vital … however do not under-appreciate the face-to-face part that lets creativity shine.
“One of many themes that we at all times rediscover at SXSW is on the one hand, we’re an occasion about know-how and rejoice new methods for folks to attach,” Forrest says.
He provides, “However then again, crucial know-how is face-to-face interplay. And that hasn’t modified. Bringing folks with numerous concepts collectively in a metropolis that has at all times cultivated and celebrated creativity — in a time of 12 months when you could have the manifestation of rebirth and creativity (i.e. springtime) — has turned out to be a really sturdy system for good issues to occur.”
AI is all the trend proper now. However essentially the most compelling cause folks buy tickets to conferences and occasions is the in-person providing. With 65% of workers preferring a completely remote setup, face-to-face interactions are uncommon.
When given the prospect, folks need to bounce on the chance to attach in-person.
So, whereas it may be tempting (and cost-effective) to create a wholly digital occasion, you would possibly need to think about providing attendees the chance to have interaction in actual life — even when that simply means an elective meet-and-greet after the primary occasion.
As Forrest places it, “Creativity is what makes us human. And in 2024, as we see increasingly machines taking up, we actually have to lean into our humanity.”
