What we’re excited for at SXSW 2026

Tomorrow, the curtain raises at SXSW’s 40^th edition in Austin, Texas. Over the past four decades, the festival has been a gathering place for heads and industry professionals, as well as a proving ground for fresh musicians, filmmakers and other creative talent.

Huck is delighted to be a media partner for this year’s event, which means we will be on the ground in Austin, hitting up showcases and screenings. Of course, the festival contains far too many events to see everything, and digesting the line-up can be quite the task. So, here are a few things that we’ve circled on our timetable, in case it helps you plan your week.

• Read next: Remembering the riotous heyday of Asbury Lanes

MUSIC

DJ AG

When: Monday, March 16, 7 – 8pm

Where: British Music Embassy @ Palm Door On Sixth

Since he first began popping up around key London thoroughfares with decks and a microphone, streaming local rappers, DJ AG has redefined what DJing can mean in the modern world. Catch him spin his stuff at the British Music Embassy @ Palm Door On Sixth.

We’ve also interviewed him in our latest magazine, Huck 83: Life Is A Journey – The 20^th Anniversary Issue. Order your copy to read it.

Sassy 009

When: Friday, March 13, 12:12:40am; Saturday, March 14, 10 – 10:40pm; Sunday, March 15, 12:40 – 1pm

Where: British Music Embassy @ Palm Door on Sixth; Central Presbyterian Church; Mohawk Outdoor

The now-solo project of Oslo producer and vocalist Sunniva Lindgård, her debut album Dreamer+ – which was released earlier this year – is set to see her break out from the European underground scene. It’s a brilliant, hazy record, with enough crunched out grit to move dancefloors, which should translate to the live stage with spark.

Bricknasty

When: Thursday, March 12, 11:20 – 11:50pm; Friday, March 13, 7pm; Saturday, March 14, 12am-12:40am; Saturday, March 14, 4pm; Saturday, March 14, 8 – 8:40pm

Where: British Music Embassy @ Palm Door on Sixth Patio; SX San Jose; Music For Ireland; Swan Dive Patio; Hotel Vegas

Ireland is perhaps one of global music’s most fertile grounds at the moment. In the past couple of years, Fontaines D.C. and Kneecap have risen to international acclaim, proving the country can punch far above its weight.

Next up are Bricknasty, whose wild, genre-hopping style spans jazz, rap, soul and even punk sonics. In a world of trend-chasing, their music is defiantly idiosyncratic, and their live show is electric. Good thing they are playing five times – you’ll want to catch every set.

FILMS

The Ascent

When: Sunday, March 15, 11 – 12:42pm; Monday, March 16,11:30 – 1:12pm; Tuesday, March 17, 3:15 – 4:57pm

Where: Zach Theater; Alamo Lamar 5; Alamo Lamar 6

Climber Mandy Horvath doesn’t know how she lost her legs. After a night out with her friends escalated, her world went black and she woke up as a double amputee. But overcoming the horror is the subject of The Ascent, in which she attempts to climb Mt Kilimanjaro using her arms. 

Your Attention Please

When: Thursday, March 12, 2:30 – 4:08pm; Friday, March 13, 2:30 – 4:08pm; Friday, March 13, 2:30 – 4:08pm; Saturday, March 14, 6 – 7:38pm

Where: Alamo Lamar 9; Alamo Lamar 7; Alamo Lamar 2; AFS Cinema

Directed by Sara Robin, the feature documentary focuses on parents and youth fighting back against big tech and social media’s control over human connection. As we dive deeper into ​‘smart’ technologies, it asks important connections about what living in a society will mean moving into the future.

The Last Critic 

When: Saturday, March 14, 11:00am-12:23pm; Monday, March 16, 2:15 – 3:38pm; Wednesday, March 18, 11:15am-12:38pm

Where: Alamo Lamar 5; Alamo Lamar 8; Alamo Lamar 8

Robert Christgau is possibly the most influential music critic of all time, and definitely one of the longest tenured. Having been reviewing for six decades, he’s experienced the industry through a period of drastic change. As he approaches his twilight, the film asks about the meaning of music criticism in the age of algorithms and AI.

CONFERENCE

The Guardian in Conversation with Mahmoud Khalil on the Cost of Dissent

When: Sunday, March 15, 10:00am – 11:00am 

Where: JW Marriott – Salon 1 – 4 

Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil found himself at the centre of a political firestorm after the Trump administration attempted to deport him over his advocacy. Now released from detention, he joins The Guardian to reflect on the ordeal, from the personal toll it took on him and his family to the wider implications for protest and free speech today.

Albuquerque Aftermath: From Breaking Bad to Pluribus with Rhea Seehorn, Vince Gilligan, and Key Creatives

When: Saturday, March 14, 11:30am – 12:30pm

Where: JW Marriott – Salon 6 – 8

For more than a decade, Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been the unlikely heart of one of television’s most influential creative runs. Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan and longtime collaborator Rhea Seehorn reunite with members of their crew to unpack how the city became the backdrop for a cultural juggernaut, and how that legacy feeds into their new series, Pluribus.

Social Health Trends & Predictions: Connection is the New Frontier

When: Thursday, March 12, 4:00 – 5:00pm

Where: Hilton Austin Downtown – Hilton Grand Ballroom (Salon HJK)

As loneliness and disconnection increasingly shape modern life, the idea of ​“social health” is gaining traction. Researcher Kasley Killam returns to SXSW to break down what’s driving the movement, discussing new research and the ways technology, culture and public policy are starting to respond. A look into how to rebuild meaningful connection in a hyper-online world.

For the full SXSW 2026 schedule and to purchase a badge for this year’s edition, visit the official website.

Buy your copy of Huck 83 here.

Enjoyed this article? Follow Huck on Instagram for more from the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture.

Support stories like this by becoming a member of Club Huck.