Apply to Speak at SXSW EDU 2026: PanelPicker is Open
Are you passionate about education and eager to help create a brighter future for learners everywhere? PanelPicker® is now open! Apply today through Sunday, July 27 for your chance to take the stage and speak at the 2026 SXSW EDU Conference & Festival taking place March 9-12 in Austin, Texas.
PanelPicker is the official online platform designed to collect session ideas from the community. Your voice matters, so use this opportunity to share your unique ideas that could transform how we teach and learn. To begin your speaking proposal in PanelPicker, visit panelpicker.sxsw.com.
“The voice of the community is the beating heart of SXSW. Across education, technology, film, and music, SXSW showcases the biggest ideas set to impact the next wave of creativity and innovation. The annual launch of our applications and open call to the community to participate, marks the beginning of our programming process and fuels our programming team for the season to come. Learning is fundamental to everything we do and I can’t wait to see what ideas you have in store for SXSW EDU 2026!"
Greg Rosenbaum
Senior Vice President of Programming at SXSW
PanelPicker Resources
Take advantage of the available resources to help make your proposal stand out.
- Start by exploring this year’s PanelPicker Guide which offers a step-by-step walkthrough of the application, an overview of the community composition, helpful tips, and more.
- Connect with the SXSW EDU team in a city near you this summer to get your questions answered in person.
- Explore the PanelPicker FAQ and browse through frequently asked questions.
Enter your speaking idea in PanelPicker by 11:59pm PT on Sunday, July 27.
PanelPicker Voting
PanelPicker will reopen for public voting, allowing the community to review and help select from the proposed ideas from August 5-24, 2025.
PanelPicker AMA Webinar
The SXSW EDU Programming team will be hosting a PanelPicker AMA webinar on Thursday, July 26 from 2pm-3pm CT.
See You at SXSW EDU 2026
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, October 1 when registration opens for the 2026 event. Take advantage early for the best rate and hotel options March 9-12, 2026 in downtown Austin.
Sign up for SXSW EDU email updates, check out the News feed, and follow us on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube to get the most up-to-date information.
Photo by Alicia Skillman
By Auva Saghafi
06/24/2025