The South by Southwest Conferences & Festivals – SXSW – kicks of this Friday in Austin, Texas, running until March 21st. Now in its twenty-third year, it has evolved from a music festival to one that now offers the unique convergence of original music, independent films, and emerging technologies.

A milestone in the digital/interactive calendar, the Interactive Festival is renowned as a launching pad for new creative content. Compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology showcase the best new websites, video games and start-up ideas, sparking only more new ideas and innovations that carve the path for the future of each ever-evolving field, long after the events’ conclusion.

Proximity to creative professionals from diverse backgrounds is a key attraction for those attending and sets the scene for a more evolved and penetrating discussion on the development of Digital Media. The spirit of cross industry debate is also apparent in the choice of Daniel Ek, co-founder of Spotify, as the keynote interview on the final day of the Interactive event. Having achieved remarkable success, Spotify are the self-proclaimed saviours of the Music business with their combined subscription/advertising model (See Times Article).

The relationship between the Music Industry and Digital Media appears to be an unofficial theme running through a number of sessions in the event. Other general themes include Social Responsibility and Online Conduct and Collaboration.

While we won’t be there to join in the conversations on the ground, we will be online tracking updates and excited to see what new platforms debut (note: Twitter and Foursquare both debuted at SXSW). Stay tuned for some SXSW updates!