Session Select is a session proposal platform that gives the SXSW Sydney 2023 community a significant voice in programming conference activities (presentations, panels, discussions, talks etc.) for the SXSW Sydney Conference. Prospective speakers submit their session ideas to Session Select, then the community, our independent industry evaluators and SXSW Sydney staff choose the best proposals.

Session Select is SXSW Sydney’s version of SXSW PanelPicker®. which is an important part of the annual SXSW event in Austin, TX.

Submissions for SXSW Sydney 2023 Session Select are currently closed. Stay tuned for public voting and future announcements.

Submissions for SXSW Sydney 2023 Session Select are currently closed. 

Please note that we are unable to receive proposals after the deadline.

Public voting will commence soon after the closing of submissions. We will update these FAQs and the SXSW Sydney 2023 Session Select site with further information soon.

A combination of public voting, feedback from the SXSW Sydney’s programming teams and independent industry evaluators and advisors are all taken into account.

SXSW Sydney 2023 Session Select will follow a similar model as SXSW PanelPicker® selection process.

The Primary Contact is considered the session organiser for this idea and will be listed in the Session Select public interface as such. They are the person ultimately responsible for turning the proposal into a reality.

All SXSW Sydney 2023 communications will go through the Primary Contact and they are responsible for communicating this information to their speakers (if applicable).

The Primary Contact can also be a speaker on the session they are organising, but do not necessarily have to participate directly.

If you will not be organising the session yourself, you should enter the name of the person who will ultimately be responsible for the session in the Primary Contact section. This person will be responsible for every aspect of the proposal if it is chosen to be a part of SXSW Sydney 2023 Conference.

At time of entry, if you are not sure who will be the final Primary Contact, enter your own details – you will have the opportunity to change the Primary Contact if your proposal is accepted.

No. We ask for a lot of information to help SXSW Sydney staff and our evaluators fully evaluate all proposals. However, only a select amount of information about your idea will appear in the public interface.

Your contact information and any contact information you provide for proposed speakers in your proposal will NOT be viewable to the public or during voting processes. The HELP ICON (?) will indicate which contact information is NOT viewable.

• The information below will be viewable in the public interface:
• Primary Contact’s name
• Primary Contact’s website URL
• Primary Contact’s job title / company or organisation
• Names of proposed speakers
• Speakers’ social media profiles / website links
• Session title
• Session description
• Session takeaways
• Speaker biography / title / company or organisation

Proposals should be specific, well-titled and illustrative of the impact of your ideas and the depth of research behind them.

• The more specific a proposal, the better.
• Catchy titles are great, but remember your title is going to be fighting for attention with hundreds of other titles. Direct and explanatory titles work best.
• The supporting material you enter helps viewers to understand your proposal and distinguish it from other submissions. Materials you submit become visible
• When the SXSW Sydney 2023 Session Select voting phase begins, so it’s important that you have the right to use anything you include

Session Select is SXSW Sydney’s version of the SXSW PanelPicker®. You can find plenty of ideas and tips online and you can also find a selection of video excerpts from previous SXSW events by visiting the SXSW YouTube Channel.

• SXSW PanelPicker®.
• SXSW YouTube Channel.

SXSW Sydney’s Conference held in 2023 will feature many different session formats. Below are some possible formats you can submit via Session Select.

If you can’t see your format in the drop-down box, that’s okay. Simply specify this in the session description.

All sessions can include audience Q&A and are 60 minutes unless it’s a workshop, meet-up or mentoring session.

Session Formats

• Panel (4 speakers): diverse discussion around a particular topic. Four speakers maximum including a moderator, if applicable. Live podcast recordings can be part of this format. 60 minutes.
• Presentation (1-2 speakers): a prepared presentation, talk, interview, conversation or book reading by a recently published author. Live podcast recordings can be part of this format. 60 minutes.
• Workshop (1-2 speakers): deep dive sessions with more hands-on learning activities and specific takeaways for professional growth and development. 60-120 minutes.
• Meet-up (1-2 hosts): networking event of like-minded attendees around a particular topic. 60-120 minutes.
• Mentor Session (1-on-1): session with an industry expert. The Mentor counsels each individual attendee for fifteen minutes, meeting with up to five registrants. 75 minutes total. To nominate someone or yourself as a mentor, please make this clear in the session description.

Speaker diversity plays an extremely important role in the decision making process.

The most interesting sessions are ones that include different perspectives. When choosing speakers keep in mind these basic diversity guidelines.

All sessions with three or more speakers should aim to include diversity in gender, ethnicity, stage of career, age, disability, or thought and opinion.

We understand that some sessions work best with full representation of a particular group and will review these on a case by case basis.

The moderator is a neutral party that helps run the session and leads the panel discussion. Having a neutral moderator will help keep your session focused on the proposed topic and will allow for a more balanced presentation. This is strongly recommended to ensure all points of views on a given panel are equally represented.

Ideally, yes. All speakers (and moderator, if applicable) should be confirmed before being added, since the speakers listed on a proposal will have an impact on the selection process. To that end, we ask for a lot of information about each speaker, including contact information and how they can contribute to the session.

Blatantly advertorial content or sales pitches disguised as information is unlikely to progress to the Public Voting stage. We are looking for compelling and balanced content that highlights many solutions to a particular issue.

This is not to say that audiences will not be interested in discovering the latest new media products and services, so if your intention is to introduce your innovative product or service to the SXSW Sydney 2023 audience, contact our sales representatives for information on the many opportunities we offer to companies looking to make an impact on SXSW Sydney 2023 audiences.

For SXSW Sydney 2023 Partnership opportunities, please contact partnerships@sxswsydney.com

Submissions cannot be edited now the deadline for session select has closed for SXSW Sydney 2023.

• How can I vote in SXSW Sydney 2023 Session Select?

During the public voting phase all you need to do is create a Session Select account. Your sign-up information remains completely confidential.

• Can I encourage my friends to vote for my proposal, or promote it on my blog or social media?

Yes. Rallying support for your idea can be an important part of the process, but large voting totals do not guarantee acceptance.

• Will SXSW Sydney post the voting totals?

No, we won’t post voting totals because we don’t want to influence anyone’s voting.

If your proposal is accepted, the hard work is just beginning! SXSW Sydney team will reach out to you with more information after the votes are tallied and decisions are made.

The best sessions are the ones in which the organiser has devoted a significant amount of time to the process. As well as providing logistical and schedule information, where necessary we will work with you to refine and polish your idea in the months leading up to SXSW Sydney 2023.

• Accepted Session Select proposals will receive ONE PLATINUM BADGE at SXSW Sydney 2023. This may be used by the Primary Contact or allocated to another speaker in your session; and
• Speakers in your session (up to four individuals maximum), will receive the opportunity to register their interest to receive a complimentary day pass to attend any SXSW Sydney 2023 Conference session. The complimentary day pass will only be valid on the same day as your session or sessions if you are participating in multiple sessions across the SXSW Sydney 2023 event dates; and
• Additionally, speakers in your session (up to four individuals maximum) will receive the opportunity to purchase one Platinum Badge to attend SXSW Sydney 2023 at a special Session Select discounted rate.

Exact details of the above admission to SXSW Sydney 2023 will be communicated to you in 2023.

Yes. At any point through completing your proposal, you can click the ‘Preview’ button at the bottom of the Session Select Application Form. On the ‘My Entries’ dashboard you can also view a PDF version of your entry by clicking the icon on the left.

Session Select is created through Awards Force. If you have used Awards Force before, please login with your previous email and update password if you need to. Otherwise, you can register a new email address.

For any questions, please contact sessionselect@sxswsydney.com

Session Select is a session proposal platform that gives the SXSW Sydney 2023 community a significant voice in programming conference activities (presentations, panels, discussions, talks etc.) for the SXSW Sydney Conference. Prospective speakers submit their session ideas to Session Select, then the community, our independent industry evaluators and SXSW Sydney staff choose the best proposals.

Submissions for SXSW Sydney 2023 Session Select are currently closed.

A combination of public voting, feedback from the SXSW Sydney’s programming teams and independent industry evaluators and advisors are all taken into account. SXSW Sydney 2023 Session Select will follow a similar model as SXSW PanelPicker® selection process.