Tim Mosenfelder/Getty ImagesAfter a number of high-profile drop-outs due to concerns over the COVID-19 coronavirus, the annual South by Southwest music, film and culture festival in Austin, Texas, has been officially canceled.
“The City of Austin has cancelled the March dates for SXSW and SXSW EDU,” reads a statement from the festival. “SXSW will faithfully follow the City’s directions.”
“We are devastated to share this news with you,” the statement continues. “‘The show must go on’ is in our DNA, and this is the first time in 34 years that the March event will not take place. We are now working through the ramifications of this unprecedented situation.”
Over the past week, a number of big-name companies pulled out of SXSW, including Apple, Netflix and WarnerMedia, resulting in the cancellation of talks by Nine Inch Nails‘ Trent Reznor, Ozzy Osbourne and Beastie Boys.
SXSW 2020 was set to take place March 13-22. Festival organizers say they are “exploring options” to reschedule, or provide a “virtual SXSW online experience.”
“We will continue to work hard to bring you the unique events you love,” the statement reads. “Though it’s true that our March 2020 event will no longer take place in the way that we intended, we continue to strive toward our purpose — helping creative people achieve their goals.”
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