SXSW Co-Founder Says Community-Led Ideas Can Shape Culture-and the Economy

AUSTIN, TX / ACCESS Newswire / January 21, 2026 / In a newly released feature interview, The Austin Chronicle and SXSW co-founder Louis Black is encouraging creatives, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders to stop waiting for approval-and start building the ideas that matter to them. Drawing on over four decades of experience in publishing, festivals, and film, Black says that real change comes from grassroots action, not top-down permission.

"We didn't sit around asking if we could. We just did it," Black says of launching SXSW in 1987. "Seven hundred people showed up that first year. It was never meant to go global. It just struck a chord-and we kept going."

Black is now using his platform to advocate for community-backed creative funding. He points to the Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund, which he co-created with director Richard Linklater in the 1990s. It has awarded over $1.5 million to emerging filmmakers and helped launch numerous careers.

"You don't need millions in VC funding. You just need one good idea, a few people who believe in it, and the willingness to make mistakes."

The timing is critical. According to a recent NEA report, nearly 60% of independent artists in the U.S. experienced severe financial strain in the past two years. As traditional funding sources decline, Black believes that local action is the next frontier.

"Fans have more power than they realize. You can change a film's future. You can save a venue. You can help someone launch something new-just by showing up."

He's also calling attention to the broader impact of cultural work. Festivals like SXSW now contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to local economies each year. But Black insists the focus must remain on values before profit.

"We didn't start SXSW to make money. We started it because Austin needed it. And we wanted to support people doing great things."

A Call to Action

Black isn't asking for donations or policy change. Instead, he's asking people to take small but meaningful actions in their own lives:

• Support a local artist or small press

• Host a screening, reading, or music night

• Create a fund for emerging talent in your city

• Start something-even if it feels too small

"If you love something-help it grow. That's where change comes from. That's how culture moves."

To read the full interview, visit the website here.

About Louis Black

Louis Black is best known as the co-founder of The Austin Chronicle, SXSW, and the Austin Film Society. He has spent over 40 years supporting independent voices in music, film, and publishing. He currently lives in Austin, where he continues to write, produce, and develop community-based creative projects.

Contact:

Louis Black
info@louisblackaustin.com
www.louisblackaustin.com

SOURCE: Louis Black