SXSW is facing increased pressure to refund delegates who registered for the 2020 music conference and festival which could potentially bankrupt the organization.
The SXSW music conference and festival was an early casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was due to happen between March 13 and 22 in Austin, Texas but was cancelled days out on 6 March.
Thousands of delegates from all of the world had already paid the admission price of up to $US1650 along with hotel accommodation deposits and airfares.
Over 50 Australian and New Zealand acts were due to attend the 2020 event. Hundreds of Australians travel to the event in Austin, Texas every year at a cost of millions of dollars from the Australian music industry alone.
As compensation SXSW offered registration to either the 2021, 2022 or 2023 events but will not refund for 2020. SXSW has issued a statement to Billboard saying that it simply does not have the money to refund.
With class actions against the event proceeding SXSW could be forced into liquidation. That could mean there will be no refunds and no future event.
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