COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on the economy and we're still taking stock of how that will work its way into the filmmaking world, but we know one thing for certain: the cost to SXSW is already massive and could grow from here. 

In a story for Slash Film, writer Ethan Anderton suggests that the financial burden of the cancelation is so large it could run into attempts to launch again next year, going off this quote from Chief Executive Roland Swenson stating "We are planning to carry on and do another event in 2021, but how we’re going to do that I’m not entirely sure."

"We are planning to carry on and do another event in 2021, but how we’re going to do that I’m not entirely sure."

The process of 'undoing' SXSW at this late date is massive. Just try and wrap your mind around all the work that must be done to clean up after prepping an even of this size. All to say nothing of the cost in terms of dollars not made by local businesses. There is a rough estimate of 355 million dollars injected into the Austin economy during SXSW. 

And those dollars say nothing of the cost in dreams and professional goals for the countless creatives whose work was to have been exhibited on such a large and prestigious scale. 

We will be continuing to follow this story closely, speaking to artists as well as businesses affected. 

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