Announcing South by South Lawn: The White House’s First Festival
Whether you agree with his policies or not, there’s no denying that President Obama has pretty decent taste in music (as well as a passion for supporting the arts and communities). Not only did he and the First Lady deliver keynotes at SXSW and drop a Summer playlist on us a few weeks ago, but he has also been known to rub elbows with some of the industry’s top dogs (and daughter Malia recently got down at Lollapalooza as well). Now he has taken it one step further, announcing the first-ever presidential music festival, South by South Lawn (SXSL), on October 3.
In coordination with South by Southwest, the American Film Institute (AFI), and the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities (PCAH), the one-day South by South Lawn will feature “musical performances by well-known and emerging artists who are using their music to inspire audiences,” according to the official release. But at its heart the spirit of the festival is really about innovation, civic engagement and making a difference in our communities. It will also include the 3rd Annual White House Student Film Festival and interactive panels with influencers about how to create motivating platforms for change and using technology and innovation to improve our world.
It should come as no surprise, then, that you can’t buy tickets to this event. You can, however, nominate yourself or someone you know who is creating change in your community to attend. The deadline for nominations is September 10 and can be submitted by clicking here.
