On March 6, SXSW canceled its 2020 festival due to concerns surrounding the recent coronavirus outbreak. It marked the first cancellation in the annual Austin event’s 34-year history.
Now, SXSW’s parent company SXSW LLC has laid off roughly a third of its 175 year-round employees, according to a new report by local paper the Austin Statesman, In a statement to the Austin Statesman, SXSW LLC said that the company “has been rigorously reviewing our operations, and we are in the unimaginable position of reducing our workforce,” adding: “We are planning for the future and this was a necessary, but heartbreaking, step.” The festival is said to bring in over 100,000 visitors to Austin every year, creating an economic boost many small businesses
Read more on pitchfork.com