SXSW has become one of the most important gathering points for the immersive storytelling world and this year, the work being shown and discussed is as urgent and imaginative as we’ve seen. Whether you’re heading to Austin or following along from home, here’s where to find the most meaningful XR experiences and conversations happening at the festival.

Projects Worth Your Time

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Two Agog-supported projects are featured in SXSW’s XR Experience this year, and both are worth seeking out.

Layers of Place: Austin | MIT Open Documentary Lab’s AR and Public Space Artist Collective
What if the streets of Austin could hold more of the city’s history? This site-specific AR exhibition overlays real-world locations with stories of racial justice, memory, and environmental care—making the invisible visible as visitors move through the city.

Inter(mediate) Spaces | Chloé Lee
This mixed-reality installation asks a simple but urgent question: can technology bring us closer instead of pushing us apart? Shaped by movement, conversation, and AI, the piece invites participants to co-create a shared experience and surface connections that often go unnoticed.

The Agog Team at SXSW

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Beyond the XR Experience, some of the richest conversations about the future of immersive storytelling are happening in rooms across the festival. Join our team and community members as they take the stage throughout the week.

  • It’s Not Too Late: Art and Technology Can Unf*ck the Future
    Saturday, March 14, 4:00 p.m. | Hilton Austin Downtown, Salon D

    Amy Seidenwurm, Agog’s chief of programs and strategy, joins Nonny de la Peña, a pioneer in immersive journalism and Agog advisor, along with filmmaker and philanthropist Tim Disney and artist and AI filmmaker Karen Palmer to explore what immersive media can make possible when grounded in creativity, care, and civic purpose.
  • The People’s Lab: AI, Storytelling, and the Future from Queens
    Monday, March 16, 2:30 p.m. | Hilton Austin Downtown, Salon D

    Jasmin Askew, Agog’s program manager, joins Agog advisor and TIME Studios Head of Documentary Loren Hammonds, Museum of the Moving Image Executive Director Aziz Isham, and director Gabo Arora to discuss how cultural institutions can function as public R&D labs. The session spotlights the MoMI LAB—an Agog-supported initiative—and will explore how artists and communities can shape more ethical futures for AI and immersive storytelling.
  • XR Filmmaking Mentor Session
    Monday, March 16, 2:30 p.m. | Omni Downtown, Executive Room

    Vanessa Lawand Pfeiffer, Agog’s community strategy and engagement manager, will offer mentorship and practical guidance for creators exploring impact-driven XR storytelling.

More from the Agog Community at SXSW

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Across the festival, members of the Agog community are contributing to sessions, installations, and gatherings you may want to add to your schedule.

The Agog Immersive Impact Award

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For the second year, we’re supporting the Agog Immersive Impact Award, recognizing XR work that advances social good. The winner will be announced at the SXSW Film & TV Awards on March 18 — stay tuned. Read about last year’s recipient.

Watch: How to Fest

We recently hosted a talk in Agog House, our VRChat space, with Blake Kammerdiener, SXSW’s film, TV, and immersive programmer. He offered a practical, insider’s guide to navigating this year’s festival. Plus, we got a sneak peek of Layers of Place: Austin. Watch the recording.

Connect With the Community on Discord

If you’re heading to Austin, Agog’s community members will be throughout the festival — presenting, mentoring, and gathering. Our SXSW Discord channel is a good place to share tips and find each other during the week. Come find us!

By Team Agog
Mar 11, 2026