(March 11, 2014, Halifax, NS) Nova Scotia will be in full force at this year’s South By South West Music Conference and Festival (SXSW) as four of the province’s finest acts will perform during an afternoon showcase for music industry heavy weights. This SXSW exposure allows artists to make valuable business relationships that can help further their careers in the industry.

The showcase will be held on March 13, 2014 from 12pm to 3pm CST at Canada House (Friends Bar) in Austin, TX.

Since starting in 1987, SXSW has blossomed into one of the world’s most inventive and interactive festivals. Specifically, SXSW is a cultural hub for the music, film and technology industries as it draws over 16,000 registrants from across the globe. The event provides an opportunity to promote Nova Scotia’s diverse music industry and some of its most exciting exporting artists.

Scott Long, Executive Director of Music Nova Scotia, sees an industry event like SXSW as a critical component of a successful creative industries export strategy.

“The importance of SXSW as a driver for international business development in the creative industries can not be overstated. SXSW is the international meeting place for the music, film, and digital sectors,” he says. “The Ivany Commission report clearly states that exporting is essential to the future economic growth of Nova Scotia. Showcasing our creative assets at industry events such as SXSW allows Nova Scotians working in the creative industries to be competitive as exporters, to be confident in our product offering and to communicate our unique story on an international stage.”

Ghettosocks, Acts that will be performing at the Nova Scotia SXSW showcase include Gloryhound In-Flight Safety and Rich Aucoin . Not only will this showcase give artists opportunities to make music industry connections, it also motivates them to work harder at their careers.

“It goes beyond money. It's important for every band to get the reality checks found at SXSW,” says Jason Burns, manager for Rich Aucoin. “Most of the time when bands come back from a festival like SXSW they have a new fire burning underneath them and they take their art more seriously.”