DOCSLIB.ORG

South by Southwest, LLC: a Report on Volunteer Coordination

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
South by Southwest, LLC: a Report on Volunteer Coordination University of New Orleans ScholarWorks@UNO Arts Administration Master's Reports Arts Administration Program 12-2014 South By Southwest, LLC: A Report on Volunteer Coordination Sarah Spivey University of New Orleans Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uno.edu/aa_rpts Part of the Arts Management Commons Recommended Citation Spivey, Sarah, "South By Southwest, LLC: A Report on Volunteer Coordination" (2014). Arts Administration Master's Reports. 174. https://scholarworks.uno.edu/aa_rpts/174 This Master's Report is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by ScholarWorks@UNO with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Master's Report in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. This Master's Report has been accepted for inclusion in Arts Administration Master's Reports by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. South By Southwest, LLC: A Report on Volunteer Coordination A Master’s Examination Report Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of New Orleans in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Masters of Arts in Arts Administration By Sarah Spivey B.A. Theatre Arts, Louisiana Tech University, 2009 Fall 2014 ABSTRACT This internship report reviews the privately owned, for-profit entity South By Southwest (SXSW), and the main festival it produces each March. The report includes an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, and offers suggestions for improvements. The history of SXSW, a description of volunteer programs, and a breakdown of the staff structure provide a basic understanding of the organization. For the purpose of this internship report, the timeframe being reviewed covers January through May 2014. ii Table of Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................. ii Chapter One: South by Southwest (SXSW) ............................................................1 History ..................................................................................................................1 Mission .................................................................................................................2 General Management Structure ...........................................................................2 Organization Structure .........................................................................................3 Venues ..................................................................................................................4 Internship Program ...............................................................................................4 Funding ................................................................................................................5 Volunteering ........................................................................................................5 Volunteer Perks ...............................................................................................6 Chapter Two: The Internship ..................................................................................8 Work in Volunteer Coordination ..........................................................................8 Specific Tasks and Duties .................................................................................8 Weekly Meetings ..............................................................................................9 Volunteer Calls ...............................................................................................10 Stage Manager Training .....................................................................................11 Crew Chief Socials ............................................................................................12 Crew Chief Responsibilities ..............................................................................13 Specific Tasks and Duties ...............................................................................13 Chapter Three: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats ....................16 Strengths ............................................................................................................16 Innovative Leaders ..........................................................................................16 Economic Impact .............................................................................................16 Community Impact .........................................................................................17 Partnerships and Sponsorships ........................................................................17 Branding ..........................................................................................................18 Weaknesses ........................................................................................................20 Spreading too thin............................................................................................19 Staff Changes and Communication .................................................................19 Long lines ........................................................................................................20 Opportunities ......................................................................................................21 City Growth ....................................................................................................21 Threats ................................................................................................................22 Guerilla events ................................................................................................22 City Capacity ..................................................................................................22 Chapter Four: Best Practices .................................................................................24 Similar Organizations ........................................................................................26 iii The Great Escape ............................................................................................26 Northside Festival ...........................................................................................28 Chapter Five: Recommendations ..........................................................................30 Conclusion ............................................................................................................33 Bibliography .........................................................................................................34 Appendix ...............................................................................................................36 Appendix A: Top 20 Fastest Growing Large Metropolitan Areas .......................36 Appendix B: Analysis of Economic Benefit to The City of Austin from South by Southwest 2014 ......................................................................................37 Appendix C: The Austin Chronicle, SXSW Post-Mortem ...................................40 Appendix D: Austin Business Journal, How many people move to Austin a day? Here’s an official number ..........................................................................41 Appendix E: Volunteer Perk Breakdown ..............................................................42 Vita ........................................................................................................................45 iv CHAPTER ONE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST (SXSW) History Roland Swenson created South by Southwest, widely known as SXSW or South by, with his friends: Nick Barbaro and Louis Black, founders of the Austin Chronicle, and Louis Jay Meyers. 1 Swenson decided to start SXSW after attending the New Music Seminar in New York in 1986. 2 Joined by some of his close friends, Roland embarked on a journey that has led to a successful multifaceted conference and festival that reaches over “50,000 people annually”. 3 Roland wanted to give musicians, otherwise isolated in Texas, the opportunity to be heard by predominantly coastal agents and labels. The first South by Southwest Music Conference and Festival (SXSW) was held in 1987 in Austin, Texas.4 The first SXSW was marketed as a Music and Media conference and festival. Primarily focused on music, SXSW has transformed over the years to include: film, interactive, gaming, comedy, trade show, and other production events that take place throughout the year. In recent years, SXSW has expanded the reach of its flagship conference to include SXSWedu and SXSW Eco in Austin, and SXSW V2V in Las Vegas. The SXSW Music, Film and Interactive Conferences and Festivals are dedicated to giving artists and entrepreneurs a platform to perform and present in front of industry leaders. Essentially, they provide a solution to “the classic problem facing Austin musicians… being isolated from the rest of the world here in the middle of Texas. SXSW was a way to reach out to the rest of the world, and bring them here to do business”. 5 The conference reach goes beyond music, and as the tech 1 pg 7, SXSW Scrapbook: People and Things That Went Before 2 pg 7, SXSW Scrapbook: People and Things
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A Race Over the Years
    P1 THE DAILY TEXAN LITTLE Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900 DITTY Musician moves from ON THE WEB California to pursue a BAREFOOT MARCH passion for jingles Austinites and students walk shoeless to A video explores the meaning of ‘traditional the Capitol to benefit poor children values’ with regard to current legislation LIFE&ARTS PAGE 10 NEWS PAGE 5 @dailytexanonline.com >> Breaking news, blogs and more: dailytexanonline.com @thedailytexan facebook.com/dailytexan Wednesday, April 6, 2011 TEXAS RELAYS TODAY Calendar Monster’s Ball Lady Gaga will be performing at the Frank Erwin Center at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $51.50-$177. Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays Track and field teams will compete in the first day of the 84th Annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays at the Mike A. Myers Stadium. Texas Men’s Tennis Longhorns play Baylor at the Penick-Allison Tennis Center at 6 p.m. ‘Pauline and Felder | Daily Texan Staff file photo Paulette’ Texas’ Charlie Parker stretches for the tape to finish first in the 100-yard dash to remain undefeated on the season during the 1947 Texas Relays. Today marks the beginning of the The Belgian comedy-drama invitational’s 84th year in Austin. Collegiate and high school athletes will compete in the events, as well as several professional athletes. directed by Lieven Debrauwer will be shown in the Mezes Basement Bo.306 at 6:30 p.m. ‘Take Back the A race over the years Night’ By Julie Thompson Voices Against Violence will hold a rally to speak out against he Texas Relays started as a small, annually to the local economy.
    [Show full text]
  • Central Texas Annual Festivals Festive Art, Music, Food and Cultural Events Where You Can Count on a Good Time Year After Year Celtic Cultural Center Presents: St
    Central Texas Annual festivals Festive Art, Music, Food and Cultural Events where You Can Count on a good time Year After Year Celtic Cultural Center Presents: St. Patrick’s Day Austin Fiesta Gardens A fierce Irish tradition and fun for the whole family. Live traditional music, Irish dancing and presentations, games and other cultural activities. http://www.stpatricksdayaustin.com/ APRIL Urban Music Festival Auditorium Shores Urban Music Festival is a family-centric festival for R&B, jazz, funk and reggae music lovers, where national and local entertainment take center stage. http://urbanmusicfest.com/ Louisiana Swamp Thing & Crawfish Festival The Austin American Statesman parking lot It’s a Cajun festival in Texas! Loads of crawfish are consumed at this annual event, which features zydeco, brass band, funk, blues and rock music. http://www.roadwayevents.com/event/ Art City Austin Palmer Events Center FEBRUARY Nearly 200 national artists, top local restaurants, multiple music stages Carnaval Brasileiro and hands-on art activities make this one of the city’s favorite festivals. Palmer Events Center https://www.artallianceaustin.org/ Flamboyant costumes, Brazilian samba music and the uninhibited, spirited atmosphere make Austin’s Carnaval one of the biggest and Old Settler’s Music Festival best festivals of it’s kind outside of Brazil. http://sambaparty.com/ Salt Lick Pavilion and Camp Ben McCulloch Americana, roots rock, blues and bluegrass are performed at this Chinese New Year Celebration signature Central Texas music festival. Arts & crafts, camping, food and Chinatown Center local libations complete this down-home event. Chinese New Year starts on January 28, marking the Lunar New Year.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Is Austin Still Austin?
    1 IS AUSTIN STILL AUSTIN? A CULTURAL ANALYSIS THROUGH SOUND John Stevens (TC 660H or TC 359T) Plan II Honors Program The University of Texas at Austin May 13, 2020 __________________________________________ Thomas Palaima Department of Classics Supervising Professor __________________________________________ Richard Brennes Athletics Second Reader 2 Abstract Author: John Stevens Title: Is Austin Still Austin? A Cultural Analysis Through Sound Supervisors: Thomas Palaima, Ph. D and Richard Brennes For the second half of the 20th century, Austin, Texas was defined by its culture and unique personality. The traits that defined the city ushered in a progressive community that was seldom found in the South. In the 1960s, much of the new and young demographic chose music as the medium to share ideas and find community. The following decades saw Austin become a mecca for live music. Austin’s changing culture became defined by the music heard in the plethora of music venues that graced the city streets. As the city recruited technology companies and developed its downtown, live music suffered. People from all over the world have moved to Austin, in part because of the unique culture and live music. The mass-migration these individuals took part in led to the downfall of the music industry in Austin. This thesis will explore the rise of music in Austin, its direct ties with culture, and the eventual loss of culture. I aim for the reader to finish this thesis and think about what direction we want the city to go in. 3 Acknowledgments Thank you to my advisor Professor Thomas Palaima and second-reader Richard Brennes for the support and valuable contributions to my research.
    [Show full text]
  • Technology Sector in Austin
    /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// TECHNOLOGY SECTOR IN AUSTIN August 2018 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// This study was authored as noncommercial research. Copyrighted works reproduced in this study have been republished under fair use. This study is made freely available for download as a service of Flanders. 1 INHOUD 1. Kop 1 ........................................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2. Kop 1 .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Kop 2 Error! Bookmark not defined. 3. Kop 1 ........................................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.1 Kop 2 Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.1.1 Kop 3 Error! Bookmark not defined. 2 1. GREATER AUSTIN As the 11th largest city in the United States and one of America’s fastest growing cities, the greater Austin area attracts companies and talent from around the world. The capital of the southern state Texas provides a home to dynamic growth industries like Advanced Manufacturing, Data Management, Life Sciences and Technology. It is not without reason that the area is nicknamed as the Silicon
    [Show full text]
  • Monarch Marketing Packet (061113)
    FOR LEASE | 5192 SF Restaurant | Retail | Creative Office THE MONARCH 801 W 5th Street, Austin, TX 78703 Skout Real Estate ROLAND GALANG, Broker [email protected] 512.791.1584 All information contained herein is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Tenant must verify. THE MONARCH • The Monarch offers premium street level commercial spaces, fronting the major W 5th Street corridor, connecting MoPac (Loop 1) and I-35, through downtown. • Located in the heart of the vibrant Market District, the Monarch is a 29-story luxury high-rise, comprised of 305 for-lease residential units. • Situated one block from the flagship Whole Foods store & worldwide headquarters. Other nearby businesses include car2go, Home Away headquarters, GSD&M, Cirrus Logic. COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR LEASE • 5192 SF with outdoor terrace seating area • 119’+ retail frontage along W 5th St., 46’+ bay depth • 18’ ceiling height • grease trap for restaurant • 11 dedicated parking spaces + 57 valet / self service parking services + 8 to 10 upstairs garage spaces for employees (@ $80/month) 2011 TRAFFIC COUNT west 5th street [at west avenue] 25,200 west 5th street [at bowie street] 21,800 DOWNTOWN DEMOGRAPHICS 2011 daytime employees in 78701 [Source: OnTheMap, U.S. Census Bureau 2009] 117,425 diverse downtown residents [Source: Capitol Market Research July 2011] 9,500 residents living within 10-minute drive of downtown [Source: Capitol Market Research July 2011] 363,000 apartment occupancy w/ an average rent of $2.09 SF/ 95.3% month [Source: Capitol Market Research July 2011] weekend evenings entertainment patrons [Source: Downtown Austin Alliance] 100,000+ All information contained herein is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
    [Show full text]
  • Austin Music Guide
    AUSTIN MUSIC GUIDE Austin celebrated its 25th anniversary as the Live Music Capital of the World® in 2016, however the city’s musical history dates further back. Austin surfaced as a music mecca in the 1960s and 1970s, when Willie Nelson went “on the road again,” Janis Joplin waited tables at Threadgill’s and Stevie Ray Vaughan played at Antone’s. Visitors and residents have long known that Austin is free-spirited destination in the thick of Texas, and the local music scene continues to grow and innovate amongst a long-standing tradition. Here are a few facts and figures that illustrate why Austin goes beyond clubs and performances to thrive as the Live Music Capital of the World®: • More than 250 Austin establishments showcase live music, from dedicated music venues to retail shops, restaurants to museums. Some iconic venues include: ACL Live, Emo’s, Stubb’s, Antone’s, the Mohawk, Saxon Pub, Continental Club, Elephant Room and Parish • Austin is home to some 2,000 musicians and recording artists, including such famed personalities as Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel, Ghostland Observatory, Iron & Wine, Okkervil River and more. • The Austin Music Office, a division of Visit Austin, is dedicated to marketing and promoting the local music scene to visitors. The Music Office staff also services conventions by booking local artists for meetings and events, and connect artists and venues with convention industry professionals. • “Music in the Air” is the live music program at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Live music is played on five different stages throughout the terminal, welcoming visitors and sending off passengers in style.
    [Show full text]
  • Austin Events January February
    5/24/15 AUSTIN EVENTS Austin is a 24-hour town populated by an upstart mix of musicians, tech experts, filmmakers, athletes and foodies, and our annual events calendar is proof. For a more comprehensive event list of the variety of things happening in Austin, visit www.visitaustin.org/visit/events. JANUARY Free Week Red River Cultural District The first week of January might be the best time for a music fan to visit Austin. Why? Hundreds of Austin bands participate in this annual event that encompasses multiple venues all over Austin. Martin Luther King Festival Huston-Tillotson University Join the march from the MLK statue at the University of Texas campus to historic Huston-Tillotson University to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy for Austin and the world. FEBRUARY Black History Month Various Venues To commemorate Black History Month there will be events including film screenings and ceremonies throughout the city celebrating important people and moments in time in African-American history. Carnaval Brasileiro Emo’s Austin’s Carnaval is one of the biggest Brazilian Carnaval celebrations outside Brazil. Brasileiro-style samba, costumes and wild abandon can all be seen in the heart of Texas Austin Fashion Week Locations around Austin Austin Fashion Week showcases the work of fashion designers, photographers, hair stylists, makeup artists and models from around the state of Texas with over a hundred including runway shows, designer meet-and-greets, themed parties and benefits for Austin non-profits. Austin Marathon & Half Marathon Downtown Austin Austin will welcome nearly 20,000 participants from around the world for the Annual Austin Marathon & Half Marathon.
    [Show full text]
  • Downtown Austin Plan
    Draft DOWNTOWN PARKS AND OPEN SPACE MASTER PLAN Downtown Austin Plan Prepared for the City of Austin by ROMA Austin and HR&A Advisors Revised January 19, 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Purpose of Plan ...............................................................................................................................1 Relati onship to Downtown Austi n Plan ..........................................................................................1 Vision Statement .............................................................................................................................1 Challenges to Address .....................................................................................................................2 Summary of Master Plan Recommendati ons .................................................................................2 General Policy Prioriti es ............................................................................................................2 Fees and Assessments ...............................................................................................................3 Governance and Management ..................................................................................................4 Priority Projects .........................................................................................................................5 Funding Prioriti es ............................................................................................................................5
    [Show full text]
  • 14437 Gregg Manor Road 30 ACRE LAND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY Located South of Cameron Road & SH 130 with SH 130 Frontage
    14437 Gregg Manor Road 30 ACRE LAND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY Located South of Cameron Road & SH 130 with SH 130 Frontage Zane Cole Senior VicePresident 512.225.2708 [email protected] 130 Site Highlights • Approximately 30 Acres • Price $3.50 Per Square Foot • Existing Zoning – None Located in Austin ETJ Currently AG Exempt • Utlilities – Water Three-Phase Electricity Septic • Frontage on SH 130 • Easily Accessible from Gregg Manor Road or Cameron Road with North/South Access on SH 130 130 The Texas Triangle Anchored by Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio areas The 60,000 square mile region, which includes Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, has seen significant population increase, particularly in the I-35 corridor, during the past decade. More than 17 million Texans, or about 75 percent of the state’s population, live in the region. Each of the four large cities in the Texas Triangle were ranked in the 20 fastest growing cities list by Forbes in 2014. And it’s not just people moving to the area. The Texas Triangle is home to 53 of the State’s 54 Fortune 500 Companies. The area is projected to have 21.65 million residents in 2030 and is home to 18.14 million residents (2015). It is also home to seven of the state’s 10 biggest universities. Austin, Texas Situated on the Colorado River in central Texas, Austin is the capital of the nation’s most business-friendly state and is one of the fastest growing job markets and economies in the United States.
    [Show full text]
  • How Early Adopters Spread Twitter Across the United States by Karsten Müller and Carlo Schwarz
    warwick.ac.uk/cage How early adopters spread Twitter across the United States By Karsten Müller and Carlo Schwarz Twitter is used by around 330 million people worldwide. But how did it achieve such widespread adoption? New research finds that much of Twitter’s uptake across the US can be pinpointed to one event: The South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, in 2007. THE UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK 21 ADVANTAGE / public policy & data special / autumN 2020 he adoption of new Figure 1: Twitter usage per capita in the United States technologies is an important factor in explaining the large Tproductivity differences across and within countries. When analysing the adoption of new technologies, it’s widely agreed that small and even arbitrary variables can have a big effect on eventual uptake. We find evidence of this for one of the most popular social media apps, now used by around 330 million people worldwide: Twitter. Twitter provides an interesting 1st Quintile case to study technology adoption 2nd Quintile for two reasons. First, it is a 3rd Quintile technology with low adoption costs 4th Quintile – everybody can open an account 5th Quintile for free. second, there are significant network effects, because the value of on a successful growth path for the of 2015. Figure 3 traces the impact of being on Twitter increases with the years since then. early adopters on Twitter usage per number of other people that use the Our analysis exploits that the capita in their home counties, where social network. home counties of SXSW attendees the orange line marks the beginning We investigate the impact of the received a boost in the number of of the SXSW festival.
    [Show full text]
  • Third Wave of Showcasing Artists Announced for SXSW Music Festival
    SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST MUSIC FESTIVAL THIRD WAVE OF SHOWCASING ARTISTS ANNOUNCED Over 300 More Artists Invited to Perform Austin, Texas - January 9, 2019 - The South by Southwest® Music Festival (SXSW®) has ​ announced the third wave of Showcasing Artists invited to perform at the 2019 event. This eclectic blend of up-and-coming and legendary artists from around the world will perform in intimate clubs as well as renowned music venues for industry professionals, influencers, international media and music fans alike. The SXSW Music Festival’s 33rd annual event takes place Monday, March 11 - Sunday, March 17, 2019 in downtown Austin, Texas. The SXSW Music Festival programmers create a unique experience featuring artists from multiple genres. A few highlights from this third round of artists include: Angie McMahon (Melbourne ​ ​ AUSTRALIA), Bush Tetras (New York NY), Charlotte OC (Blackburn, UK-ENGLAND), Edie ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Brickell & New Bohemians (Austin TX), Georgia (London UK-ENGLAND), Hilary Woods ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (Dublin IRELAND), J.S. Ondara (Nairobi KENYA), Jvcki Wai (Seoul SOUTH KOREA), Kamaal ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Williams (London UK-ENGLAND), Kevin George (Stamford CT), KOKOKO! (Kinshasa ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO), Lennon Stella (East York CANADA), Mansionair ​ ​ ​ (Sydney AUSTRALIA), Molly Burch (Austin TX), My Brightest Diamond (Detroit MI), The ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mystery Lights (New York NY), No Party for Cao Dong (Taipei TAIWAN), Omar Apollo (Hobart ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ IN), Pink Sweat$ (Philadelphia PA), Priests (Washington DC), Ross Golan’s The Wrong Man ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (Los Angeles CA), Steady Holiday (Los Angeles CA), and Yung Lean (Stockholm SWEDEN). ​ ​ ​ ​ This year the SXSW Music Festival is pleased to present first-time showcase lineups by Spacebomb Records, YEAR0001, Playtime Festival Mongolia, Don't Come to LA, She Shreds, Verve Label Group, and Mahogany, as well as highly anticipated returning showcases ​ ​ ​ from Communion, Gorilla vs.
    [Show full text]
  • Guide to Austin and UT
    ……………………………………………………………………………………………… A Visitor’s Guide to Austin and The University of Texas ……………………………………………………………………………………………… Compiled by the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies Shopping As soon as you have found a place to live, you will need to furnish it with the basics for eating, sleeping, study, and relaxation. A Good Place to Start Most students make an early trip to Wal-Mart or Target, which are general- purpose discount stores where you can get most of the things you need to set up housekeeping. They sell sheets, blankets, pillows, and towels; a great variety of cooking and eating supplies; appliances; cleaning supplies; office/school supplies; and many other things. The Super Wal-Mart stores also sell food; the regular Wal-Marts sell some sodas and snacks but not much for regular meals. Wal-Mart Stores: 620 Lake Creek 1030 Norwood Park Blvd. 5017 W. Hwy 290 12900 N. I-35 Target Stores: 8601 Research Blvd. 2300 Ben White 5300 S. MoPac 6405 S. I-35 Food Shopping: Major Supermarkets in Austin H-E-B: Has a good selection of international foods and low prices. Located all around town, a great place to shop. The Hancock Center H-E-B on 41st St. is closest to UT. Central Market: Has a great selection and variety of fresh produce, a wonderful fish selection, and many gourmet prepared foods. You can listen to live music at the Central Market Café every Friday and Saturday from 6:30–9:00 P.M. at no charge. Fiesta: Has low prices and many international items. There is just one store, on the I-35 eastside frontage road at 38-1/2 St., near the university.
    [Show full text]