Experiential agency WINK will help shape the new South by Southwest (SXSW) 2026 as a trusted partner. The initiative aims to re-energise the festival’s atmosphere by creating focused spaces where creators, industry leaders and audiences can connect more organically throughout the week.
SXSW is set to debut the new “Clubhouse” concept in March at the 2026 festival, creating dedicated gathering spaces designed to act as magnets for creative communities across the event. As part of a wider refresh that brings the festival deeper into the city of Austin, three new Clubhouses will serve as central home bases for Film & TV, Music, and Innovation, offering curated programming, networking and collaborative experiences.
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.
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.
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.”
Arne Koefoed, Founder, WINK
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.
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.”
Peter Lewis, Chief Commercial Officer, 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.
“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.”
Watch the teaser video here
