AUSTIN, TEXAS (March 2, 2016) — South by Southwest® (SXSW®) is honored to
announce President Barack Obama will appear as part of a Keynote Conversation at
SXSW Interactive on Friday, March 11 and First Lady Michelle Obama will be the
opening Keynote at SXSW Music on Wednesday, March 16. This marks the first time in
the 30-year history of SXSW that a sitting President and the First Lady have participated
in the event, which is known for showcasing the most innovative ideas and creative
talent of our time.

Over the past 30 years, SXSW has become the premier destination to discover gamechanging
new technologies, films, and artists while networking with some of the brightest minds where ideas and topics converge to unite all industries and cultures.

President Obama will sit down with Editor in Chief of The Texas Tribune Evan Smith for
a conversation about civic engagement in the 21st Century before an audience of
creators, early adopters and entrepreneurs who are defining the future of our connected
lives. The President will call on the audience to apply their ideas and talents to make
technology work for us – especially when it comes to tackling big challenges like
increasing participation in the political process and fighting climate change. In the leadup
to the event, The Texas Tribune will also source questions for the discussion from its
online audience.

First Lady Michelle Obama comes to SXSW Music to discuss the Let Girls Learn
initiative, which aims to break barriers for the 62 million girls around the world who are
not in school today, more than half of whom are adolescent. The SXSW Music
Conference brings the global music industry together and offers the perfect platform to
celebrate Women’s History Month, as the First Lady provides her call to action to
support girls’ education.

“I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate our event’s 30th year than to welcome both
the President and First Lady to SXSW,” said SXSW Co-founder Roland Swenson. “As
each new generation comes up at SXSW they look for ways they can be of service, and
it’s important to reflect and support that message. President and Mrs. Obama’s visit
here will inspire attendees to that purpose.”

President Obama’s appearance is open to all SXSW Interactive, Gold, and Platinum
registrants. First Lady Michelle Obama’s event is open to all SXSW Music, Film, Gold, and Platinum registrants.

More details regarding location, time, streaming, and access to both events will be
announced in the coming days.

About SXSW
The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conferences & Festivals offer the unique industry
convergence of music, film, and emerging technologies. Fostering creative and
professional growth, SXSW is the premier destination for discovery. The event is a
launch pad for innovative content with new media presentations, music showcases and
film screenings providing exposure for creators and compelling entertainment for
attendees. SXSW 2016 takes place March 11-20 in Austin, TX. For more information,
please visit http://www.sxsw.com.

John Alexander

Photographer/Videographer