Welcome SXSW Volunteers!

More than 1600 volunteers contribute many hours of their time each year to help with South By Southwest. They are the face of the festival, working in the Austin Convention Center, the film and the music venues.

Volunteers have a variety of different jobs, from badge-checkers and theater staff, to podcasters and digital media editors. We also need stage managers, stage crew and production crews during the Music Festival. We can accommodate any level of experience.

Volunteering for SXSW can be a lot of fun, but it's not for everybody. It's a serious time commitment. Although volunteers will have the opportunity to earn perks such as wristbands, film passes or badges, they can not expect to see all the shows, films or panels they want.

If you want to be free to see everything the event has to offer, we strongly recommend that you buy a badge.

SXSW 2009 Volunteer Calls were held on January 25th and 26th. All crews are now full. Please email volunteer@sxsw.com for information about volunteering at SXSW 2010.

OUT OF TOWN VOLUNTEERS: Unfortunately, as of January 26th, 2009, we can no longer accept applications for out-of-town volunteers. If you submitted an out-of-town application prior to January 26th, a Volunteer Coordinator will be in contact with you with more information about the crews that are available to you.

TYPES OF VOLUNTEER:
To complete the online application, volunteers must select the type of volunteer crew they want to work for. The two different types are Conference and Music Production. There is a distinct difference between the two types of work, as well as the types of perks available. New volunteers will need to know which crew type they want before they begin their applications.

Conference volunteers can schedule shifts anytime throughout the ten days of the festival (March 13-22,2009). Volunteers accrue hours toward a perk of their choice. Click here for more information about the Conference volunteer crews.

Music Production volunteers work at least three nights during the Music Festival (March 18-22, 2009). They are only eligible for Music badges - or, in the case of stage managers and 5-night stage crews, Platinum badges. Click here for more information about the Music Production volunteer crews.