With SXSW Sydney fast approaching, the festival has locked in a major showcase of First Nations talent, playing right into the heart of the event’s overarching purpose.

Much like the Austin original, SXSW Sydney lives and thrives on its adventurous spirit. As much as the festival is all about networking and fascinating keynotes, the event also admirably unearths creative scenes around the world in an attempt to elevate various cultures across the Southern Hemisphere.

Anyone who has been to the Austin festival before will tell you that some of the best moments come from these tightly curated showcases, designed to platform creative scenes that may not always be well-represented by other festivals, inspiring a great diversity of talent. We already saw this last year with the first SXSW Sydney giving a platform to Indonesian rock bands and Indian musicians down at the festival’s hub of Darling Harbour’s Tumbalong Park.

Now, we’ll see it with the latest showcase to be added to the growing SXSW Sydney lineup. That is, a dedicated First Nations showcase curated by global pop superstar The Kid LAROI.

LAROI was added recently as one of the big-name guests giving a keynote at the festival. But those who spied the artist’s name on the SXSW program knew he didn’t just come to talk.

SXSW organisers have worked with The Kid LAROI on a series of professional development workshops for First Nations communities in Waterloo and Redfern, where the world-dominating artist grew up. This program also includes hitting the stage as part of Tumbalong Park’s program of free events, fashioned as a First Nations showcase taking place on Saturday, October 19 from 3:30pm to 5pm.

In addition to the many performances sprinkled across SXSW’s week-long run from October 14 to 20, The Kid LAROI’s Blak Future First Nations showcase joins new line-up additions like UK’s ENNY, South Africa’s Moonchild Sanelly, and India’s Yung Raja.

It’s hard to piece together exactly what to see at SXSW Sydney since there are so many niche events playing into different tastes. If you’re in town for the ambitious multi-pronged event, take note of all the free stuff in Tumbalong Park and try and make it to a showcase or two.

This festival is always at its best when you’re discovering something new and unexpected.

Blak Future at SXSW Sydney

When: Saturday, October 19; 3:30pm – 5pm
Where: Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour NSW 2000

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