South by Southwest began in 1987 as a gathering of musicians, industry professionals, and a small group of ambitious organizers in Austin, Texas. What started as a regional event quickly grew into a global platform for music, film, and interactive media.

SXSW managing director Roland Swenson invited us to design a book to mark the festival’s twenty-fifth edition—a retrospective capturing its evolution and cultural impact.

The challenge was not just to document history, but to express the scale and energy of SXSW itself. We developed a flexible visual system built on a robust color palette and an expansive typographic approach—capable of holding a wide range of content, from essays and photography to data and archival material.

Each section opens with “SXSW Stats,” presenting key moments in five-year increments. A continuous index of more than 14,000 performing artists runs throughout the book, reinforcing the breadth of participation over time.

The book brings together essays, photography, and firsthand accounts—from early beginnings to breakout performances by artists including Johnny Cash, Iggy Pop, the Dixie Chicks, and the Flaming Lips—alongside the many emerging voices that found an audience through SXSW.

Produced in both perfect bound and cloth casebound editions, the book was distributed by SXSW and The University of Texas Press.