UK Advertising and DIT Partner for Biggest Ever Showcase of British Innovation During SXSW 

South by Southwest (SXSW) is renowned as the global meeting  place for over 300,000 innovators and creators from across the interactive, film and music sectors. This year it will run virtually from March 16th-20th and will offer the perfect chance for learning and discovery, as well as opportunities to foster business development as we begin the recovery from the pandemic.  

DIT is leading the UK Government’s presence at SXSW for 2021 with a virtual trade mission and exhibition stand, a campaign which is also being organised and supported by the UK Advertising Export Group (UKAEG), the advertising industry partnership run by the Advertising Association, the IPA, APA, DMA, London & Partners and the Creative Industries Council. The UK has the largest country presence around SXSW this year with the official DIT Trade Mission, Creative Industries Exhibition, and speakers across the stages at SXSW.com. Running alongside this will be UK House and the British Music Embassy and, in a further boost, DIT will also be supporting the campaign in US media to highlight the British presence.  

For the first time, DIT, UKAEG, the Creative Industries Trade and Investment Board, the Advertising Association, British Underground, Arts Council England, Future Art and Culture, British Council, Creative Industries Council, Audiences of the Future Live, British Phonographic Industry, UK Research and Innovation and London & Partners have joined forces to present UK House around the festival. UK House will showcase the best of UK  advertising, art, tech, immersive technology, music and innovation as part of the GREAT campaign. It will look at what we have learnt during the pandemic about the adoption of new and emerging technologies and audiences across the creative industries, and how UK CreaTech is influencing future developments around the globe.  

UK House will feature over 50 speakers on-stage, host 10+ international knowledge shares, and feature a performance of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s immersive show Dream, music from a virtual avatar of tuba player Theon Cross recorded using motion capture at  Abbey Road Studios, and panels featuring representatives from Punchdrunk, the National Gallery, Marshmallow Laser Feast and the Royal Opera House. 

Janet Hull, Chair, UKAEG and CIC CreaTech, and IPA director of marketing strategy commented: “The UK is the global hub for advertising and our industry is renowned across the world for  its ingenuity and expertise. As we look forward to recovery from the pandemic now is the  time to get back onto the world stage to show that the UK is open for business and ready to trade. That is why I am delighted that UKAEG is a crucial part of the British Creative Industries presence at this year’s SXSW festival and will have the opportunity to present and share its message with a specialist global audience. We are grateful to DIT for their leadership in securing our presence at SXSW and I look forward to seeing the results of this unprecedented celebration of British creativity at SXSW.”  

The programme of activity and UK House content will be made available on demand after the event for registered delegates. A special video has been produced to highlight UK House, which you can view here and the UK House website can be found at www.theukhouse.com.

Register now for early access and join the conversation at #UKATSXSW