SXSW Introduces new "Clubhouses" for 2026

Mar. 11, 2026

In collaboration with experiential agency WINK, South by Southwest (SXSW) is introducing three brand new SXSW Clubhouses for the 2026 edition in Austin, as SXSW enters a pivotal new chapter.

SXSW 2026 marks a turning point to a shorter, leaner festival – hosted over seven days instead of the usual ten. With Austin’s Convention Center closed for redevelopment, the festival moves fully into the city. Decentralized, fluid, and more connected to Austin than ever before. In response, SXSW will introduce three Clubhouses, designed and produced by WINK in collaboration with SXSW, each serving Film & TV, Music, and Innovation. 

Peter Lewis, Chief Commercial Officer of SXSW said: 

“This next chapter of SXSW is about intention. As we move fully into the city, the Clubhouses create clear anchors for our Film & TV, Music, and Innovation communities. They give our partners meaningful ways to show up and engage, and they give badgeholders spaces designed for connection, collaboration, and momentum. It’s a smarter, more focused footprint that reflects where SXSW is headed.”

 

Built for each different category of badge holder: Innovation, Music and Film & TV – the Clubhouses are designed to feel anything but corporate. They are places to kick off, linger, collide, recharge, and get things done. Spaces where connections happen naturally and ideas move faster.

Each Clubhouse will function as a home base and cultural hotspot, with flexible, multi-use spaces designed to support connection, co-creation, and discovery. Programming will be developed in close collaboration with SXSW’s programming teams, working in sync with the wider festival.

Visually, the Clubhouses are inspired by the surreal world of artist and muralist Josh Cochran, bringing his bold, colorful and playful illustrations into the city and shaping the look and feel of each space. A first for the festival, representing more than a format shift, the 2026 Clubhouses are the physical expression of a new, supercharged SXSW.

WINK’s relationship with SXSW goes back to 2017, when the agency had a pivotal role in formulating and producing SXSW’s New Dutch Wave, the legendary trade mission designed to spotlight Dutch creativity and entrepreneurship for nine years. Since then, WINK has been embedded in SXSW’s DNA from every angle – as creatives, producers, partners, and fans.

Arne Koefoed, Founder, WINK said:

“I love the showcase of principles at SXSW from everyone’s perspective, and I’m proud to say the Clubhouses are not just venues, they are anchor points of energy, identity, and belonging. They’re intended to be magnets for creative communities, buzz-generating beacons that give shape, rhythm, and heart to a new SXSW.”

 

Koefoed added:

“We know what works at SXSW because we’ve lived it from the inside out. Not just as creatives, but as participants, speakers, producers, partners, and fans. We’ve worked with local crews, suppliers, and talent, so we know the shortcuts, the pitfalls, and the beauty of things that weren’t in the plan.”