Toxic Environment - Anonymous employee SXSW Employee Review

1.0
Mar 24, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Really good festival that brings creatives together. Great for it to finally be in London!

Cons

Staff retention is very poor. The CEO and senior leadership team do not appear to value their employees and often speak about staff negatively behind their backs. High-performing staff are sometimes let go without warning, and communication with the team is inconsistent, creating an environment of low trust. Promises of promotions are often not fulfilled, and employees are frequently expected to work extra hours without compensation. There is little support for staff, and the company lacks a clear structure. Additionally, there appear to be underlying financial challenges, which have made it difficult to maintain relationships with reputable suppliers. Overall, the culture is unsupportive, and morale is consistently low.

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5.0
Mar 25, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There were a lot of changes happening for the 2026 season of SXSW and everyone worked extremely hard to kick what felt like a brand new festival.

Cons

The seasonal months are too short, starting in January and ending at the end of March required too quick of on boarding and navigation.

1
1.0
Apr 30, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

get to work with some wonderful people

Cons

High turnover due to poor leadership with no direction lead by unknowledgeable and ungrateful management Inappropriate workload, expectations and boundaries Poor benefits and compensation Stressful office environment Don't be fooled by the brand or its potential as it has a poor local reputation for many reasons other than it's subpar operation and lackluster production. Those who work here are unhappy and are often disrespectful to their peers, contractors and the local community. I recommend avoiding wasting your time and dignity.

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