SXSW has announced that much of their 2021 program will take place online.

The digital event will take place from March 16 – 20, 2021, with its networking-centric counterpart SXSW EDU taking place from March 9 – 11. The festival is working towards creating a virtual event that will bring festival-goers “the benefits of sessions, film festival screenings, music showcases, networking, and exhibitions,” according to the official press release. 

The famed festival’s home city of Austin, Texas canceled the 2020 event back in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first time in nearly three and a half decades that SXSW did not take place. However, the festival intends to adapt to the post-COVID world.

“The challenge of building a new future is one that we’re excited to tackle,” said SXSW CEO and co-founder Roland Swenson via press release. “This has been such a year of change and we, like the entire world, are reshaping our perspective on how we connect.”

While SXSW and Austin public health officials are cooperating on plans to launch a physical event in 2021, Swenson emphasized that the festival’s online programming will stay true to its roots: “Regardless of platform, we will continue to bring together the brightest minds from creative industries worldwide.”

For more information, visit the SXSW website.