Looking for what to do at SXSW? Join Patreon’s House of Creativity for panels and performances from groundbreaking creators.
Patreon is headed to SXSW — both for the breakfast tacos and to unveil our House of Creativity, located in the heart of Austin on historical Rainey Street. A hub for creators of all kinds, the House of Creativity will host collaborative programming, interactive exhibits, daily exclusive performances, and nightly, live music showcases. It’s gonna be epic, and we can’t wait to see you there.
From March 11th through the 13th, we’ll kick each day off with discussions from creators and thought leaders who’ve built robust communities of fans, just like you. Ben Folds and Amanda Palmer will tell you how to engage super fans. Join The Try Guys as they record their weekly podcast — live! From swimming with sharks to surviving in the wild, these best friends and internet creators have made a living by risking their lives on camera, and they dissect their experience failing upwards each week. You’ll laugh, you’ll learn, and more importantly, you’ll collaborate and commiserate with creatives in a way only SXSW could make possible.
But, it wouldn’t be South By without pure unadulterated music. The House of Creativity will (literally) set the stage for live performances each night. Join us Monday night for a musical showcase hosted by yours truly with artists like Cautious Clay, Amanda Palmer, Zola Jesus, and more. On Tuesday and Wednesday nights, we’ll be putting on shows in collaboration with Aquarium Drunkard, Gold-Diggers, and Communion Music as artists such as RF Shannon, White Denim, Y La Bamba, Apre, Talos, and Drama take the stage.
Now that we’ve got your attention, get all the details below.
House of Creativity: Monday, March 11th
We’ll start things off by providing creators tips and tricks on expanding creative liberty. Essentially? Make what you want to make. No futzing around.First The Try Guys will discuss pushing boundaries as an artist, then you’ll be treated to a live Hannahlyze This! podcast recording. Hannah Hart and Hannah Gelb will dish on balancing perfectionism with self-worth — and the (often hilarious) mental health foibles creatives face on a daily basis. Did we mention they’re inviting actor/writer/director Hannah Marks to join them onstage? It’s gonna be a Hannah trifecta (a trifetctannah?).
Next up is our official SXSW showcase. First to hit the stage will be Novo Amor, a Welsh multi-instrumentalist with 1.2 million streams on YouTube for his climate change conscious music video, “Birthplace.” Then we’re proud to present Angie McMahon, a young Australian singer-songwriter who has opened for Bon Jovi. After that Amanda Palmer takes the stage, a giant in the music industry, famous for both her solo work, her band The Dresden Dolls, and as an advocate for “The Art of Asking.” Nika Danilova of Zola Jesus will play next — so get ready for darkwave and goth incarnate as she takes the stage for a unique and rare solo set. Cautious Clay is up next, and the flute-playing soul-singer from Brooklyn (whose breakthrough single “Cold War” was featured on the season premiere of HBO’s Insecure) is sure to make some musical magic happen. Rounding out the night is Australian duo, Geowulf (aka Star Kendrick & Toma Banjanin) taking the stage at 1 am.
House of Creativity: Tuesday, March 12th
You thought Monday was packed with killer programming? Day two pulls no punches, either. One of the most important questions a creator can ask themselves is “how do I use my platform for good?” and on Tuesday, we’ve got answers.
First up, Acast presents Watch What Crappens! Live Show at 12:30 pm. Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam dissect nearly every detail from your favorite Bravo shows. The Real Housewives, Vanderpump Rules, you name it, they have the hot gossip.
Next, we’ll join award-winning journalist and author Allison Yarrow of 90’s Bitch for The Girl Power Myth as she asks if anything has actually changed in Hollywood in the decades since the 90s, in a conversation with Fanshen Cox Digiovanni and Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith.
We’ll get weird as the afternoon progresses with Grace Helbig and Mamrie Hart. Best friends for over a decade, they’ll bare their oddest anecdotes in front of a live audience.
Stick around for Kati Morton, a licensed therapist, and YouTube content creator will talk with Gloria Kellet (executive producer and co-showrunner of Netflix’s One Day at a Time) about Using Your Platform for Good: Let’s Talk About Mental Health. If you have a captive fanbase and platform, what responsibility do you have to send positive messages to captive audiences in a world that seems grim?
Last for Tuesday’s whirl of daytime panels is another appearance from The Try Guys. This time they’ll record a live podcast show where they dissect their experiences as content creators and best friends who have made a living despite failing upwards.
Tuesday’s SXSW showcase kicks off with RF Shannon, who will transition us into the night with their soulful desert blues. Then we’ll hear from Jess Williamson, a Texan singer-songwriter with serious chops. After that William Tyler will grace the stage, a guitarist hailing from Nashville who is also a member of Lambchop and Silver Jews. Next up will be The Cactus Blossoms, an Americana duo touring hard for their newest album, Easy Way. Following will be White Denim, a psychedelic rock band from Austin who has toured with Wilco. And Y La Bamba will close the night with their indie folk tunes from Portland.
House of Creativity: Wednesday, March 13th
Our last day will dive straight into the nitty-gritty of the creative entrepreneur struggle. How do you connect with fans and build your community? And, quit feeling guilty for making money as an artist.
The morning begins with It’s OK To Make Money, a discussion with members from Acast, the BBC, and Watch What Crappens about determining your worth as a Creator. Yes, you do have worth, whether you translate that as monetary or burrito compensation, your choice.
Podcasts are more popular than ever these days, so what can you do with that power? Aaron Mahnke, creator of podcast Lore, Dylan Marron, the voice of Carlos on Welcome to Night Vale, and Rabia Chaudry, co-host and co-producer of Undisclosed take on the question in Impacting Social Change Through Modern Parables.
Community, Collaboration and Crime: Ashley Flowers, founder of Audio Chuck and host of Crime Junkie, and Patrick Hinds, co-host of True Crime Obsessed will chat with our very own Tracy Kaplan about what it takes to create true crime podcasts in today’s industry and the power of a committed fan base.
Last but certainly not least, Ben Folds and Amanda Palmer will chat with Patreon CEO Jack Conte, about Engaging With Your Community, in particular, super fans. Your community waits anxiously for updates, they know about the pre-sale before anyone else and are in it for the long haul. How do you create authentic connections with them at scale?
Our last SXSW showcase brought to us by our friends at Communion, kicks off with San Mei, aka Emily Hamilton, who will transport you with her guitar-heavy and delay-ridden dream pop. Next up, Samia, a young singer-songwriter with impressive vocal restraint and range. Following will be Apre, an English alternative band who have enticed fans with single “All Yours.” Then Talos, the Irish musician fond of gossamer electronic beats. After that you’ll receiving soulful stylings from afro-latina queer song bird, Nicotine. Wrapping up the House of Creativity for SXSW 2019 will be DRAMA, the dark and passionate collaboration between Na’el Shehade and Via Rosa.
Our favorite part of the House of Creativity lineup though? Getting to spend time with you. See you there.
