Highlights from our week-long residency at SXSW Sydney®

For the first time ever, SXSW headed over to Australia to host the iconic festival-meets-conference event. For one week, from Sunday 15 to Sunday 22 October, Soho House took over The Old Clare Hotel in Sydney, where members had full access to the Soho Residency. Everyone enjoyed a special menu including House favourites, kicked off the week with a poolside party and attended a series of talks, workshops and events. 

Scroll down to see highlights from the week.

Australians in Film SXSW Hollywood Mixer
Australian stars gathered on Monday night in Sydney for a Hollywood Mixer hosted by Australians in Film, an organisation that’s supported the likes of Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, Naomi Watts, and Chris Hemsworth. The guestlist included Tim Minchin, Nash Edgerton, Charmaine Bingwa, Nakkiah Lui, Bruna Papandrea, Phillip Noyce and Jodi Matterson, plus a host of industry leaders and influential Australian filmmakers. 

House Sounds with a secret performance by Flight Facilities
In partnership with Patrón
In the middle of their Decades tour, the electronic duo and Sydney members, Jimmy and Hugo, played a high-energy DJ set that blended house, disco, pop, R&B, and funk. Members gathered on the roof terrace for the secret performance that got them on the dance floor, Picantes in hand.

Soho House x Sold Out presents Sydney is so Gay 
To celebrate our LGBTQIA2S+ family in Australia, the night featured some of our favourite creatives from the community and allies, with live performances from drag queen Etcetera Etcetera, drag king Sexy Galexy and Jarred Baker on the decks. Guests came dressed in their fiercest outfits and danced until the early hours. 

In Conversation: Art without borders with Paul Davies and Ali Hillman
Australian artist, Paul Davies, and curator and founder of Friday Trampoline, Ali Hillman, sat down with Ariela Bard to discuss the art that was created across borders during the pandemic and how that has affected the current landscape of work today. Davies also created our Soho Residency art installation at the entrance, inspired by a work he produced in the midst of COVID-19 with friends Ivan Shaw and Dusty Bear. Other artworks in the space include pieces by George Byrne, Lara Merrett and Tony Albert. 

Soho Rising with Connie Constance and Milan Ring
In partnership with Bowers & Wilkins 
Soho Rising lit up Sydney for the first time, with the UK’s Connie Constance, best known for mixing nostalgic indie-rock influences with her trademark R&B. In the audience were local creatives and SXSW Sydney® headline speaker, Chance the Rapper, who shared during his keynote that he had originally been discovered at SXSW in Austin and that SXSW Sydney® is a great opportunity for showcasing emerging talent to be discovered.

Our second Soho Rising showcase was set on the rooftop at sunset, hosted together with Women in Music Australia (WIMA). Earlier this year, we partnered with WIMA to create a cohort of 10 women who were awarded Soho Fellowship lead by its founder and Sydney member, Jacqui Louez Schoorl. One of those women was Sydney native Milan Ring, who is best known for combining a mix of spirituality and R&B. 

Soho Presents: Ziggy Ramo
In partnership with Bacardí
For our first Soho Presents in Australia, Indigenous Australian rapper and activist Ziggy Ramo hit the stage. His 30-minute set took everyone on an emotional journey as he performed an unreleased song, followed by high-energy classics and an acoustic rendition of his track with Paul Kelly, ‘Little Things’. Plenty of hugs, tears and joy filled the room as he shared one of the most powerful performances of the week. 

Spill The Tea: speed dating with creators 
In partnership with TikTok
Combining the energy of speed dating with the excitement of creators, members and local creatives got to meet and connect with a varied range of TikTok creators. The crowd included Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, Ella Watkins, Starr McGowan, Yasmin Brisbane, Ali Chebani, Lily Huynh, Vincent Yeow Lim, Avneesha Martins, and Sam Fricker.  

One Night Only: Soho House Around The World
In partnership with Antler  
Members indulged in a special four-course menu created by the masterminds behind Three Blue Ducks chef-owners, Darren Robertson, Mark LaBrooy and Andy Allen. Inspired by our Houses around the world but with an Aussie twist, the chefs talked members through the menu and curation process throughout the dinner. 

IMG Fashion x Soho House Industry Mixer
IMG Fashion and the Soho House team hosted designer, media and industry guests for the launch of Australian Fashion Week 2024. Earlier this month, at IMG Fashion’s Australian Fashion Laureate Awards 2023, Soho House was the presenting partner for the Designer of the Year award, given to Christopher Esber and presented by Sydney member, Pip Edwards. Soho Fellowships were also given to Emerging Designer of the Year, Alix Higgins; Indigenous Designer of the Year, Denni Francisco of Ngali, and Sustainable Designer of the Year, Kit Willow. 

DISCOTECA: closing party
In partnership with Moët & Chandon and Hennessy
To close our Soho Residency at SXSW Sydney®, we transformed the entire venue into DISCOTECA featuring some of the city’s top creators, such as founder of Mandylights, Richard Neville, and a room curated by Kilia Pahulu from Sissy Ball. 
 
Thanks to all of our supporting brands, including Antler, Bacardí Group, Bowers & Wilkins, LVMH, Orlebar Brown, and TikTok.  

Thanks to Sullivan+Strumpf gallery for assistance with loans and artwork installation.

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