Take Action x SXSW 2026: The Recap
- Apr 15
- 2 min read
This March, Artist For Action® returned to Austin for a two-day run at Inn Cahoots during SXSW. Passion Pit, Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show, Five For Fighting, Neil Giraldo, and Blues Traveler headlined across indoor and outdoor stages, but the week brought more than live music. We used the momentum to launch something new. Here's your recap:
2 Days of Music & Impact
Day one kicked off with the Music & Impact Summit: an afternoon of panels covering artist rights, royalties, and mental health in the industry (see all here!), followed by incredible sets from Passion Pit, Five For Fighting, and more. Day two opened with a screening and Q&A of Louder Than Guns, a documentary on gun violence in America featuring Ketch Secor, journalist David Greene, and our co-founder Mark Barden. Slick Rick joined us aboard the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus for a Dolby Atmos listening session of his visual album VICTORY, and John Popper of Blues Traveler closed out the night.
Come Together
On site, we announced Come Together: a multi-year initiative in partnership with the Foundation for Social Connection Action Network (F4SCAN), focused around ending the loneliness epidemic in America. The stats tell a clear story: 79% of Gen Z and 67% of Millennials report experiencing loneliness. Music has always had the power to bring people into the same room, the same moment. Come Together channels that into action, uniting artists, communities, and policymakers to address the growing crisis of social isolation and disconnection.
This is our second year presenting Take Action x SXSW, and we're proud to help create more good & foster more connection through the power of music. You can be part of the movement, too! Get involved with Artist For Action® today.
