As Milan, Italy's music industry capital, readies to showcase itself to the world in May, the Italian music industry descends on Austin, TX this March to show off its current scene at SXSW 2015.

IT@LY SXSW is an unprecedented national effort by the county at SXSW, the world's leading music industry event, and a multi-faceted initiative featuring: The IT@LY SXSW Trade Show stand, "Aperitivo Italiano" the first official SXSW Music day party, and festival performances by Italian acts Levante, Be Forest, Populous, JoyCut, Fabryka and Tiger! Shit! Tiger! Tiger!

Organized by FIMI the Italian Music Industry Federation, ITA the Italian Trade Agency and Puglia Sounds MEDIMEX International Festival and Music Conference, from March 15th through 18th IT@LY SXSW, Stand 1029 in the Austin Convention Center, will serve as the networking hub for Italian music industry professionals to exchange information and best practices with US and international SXSW delegates.

On Wednesday March 18th from 2pm - 6pm SXSW attendees will be invited to experience a slice of the Italian lifestyle at the "Aperitivo Italiano" day party which makes its debut at Numero 28, Austin's brand new Italian-run culinary hotspot. Aperitivo Italiano continues the IT@LY SXSW conversation in a chic setting where Italian food and wine will mix with unplugged and DJ sets by Italy's official SXSW showcasing acts as well as a special one-off appearance by Puglia's Don Pasta Food Sound System.

Nighttime SXSW Music Festival showcases running from March 18th through 21st will feature: Italian indie-sensation Levante whose confessional song "Alfonso" went viral on YouTube becoming a surprise summer pop hit nationwide. The dream-pop of Be Forest, tipped by Brooklyn Vegan in advance of their US debut at CMJ last Fall. The trio were also picked for a KEXP session during their subsequent US tour. The worldly electronic explorations of Populous (aka Andrea Mangia) who put out a pair of Pitchfork-cited releases for German labels Morr Music and Bad Panda. His latest, "Night Safari", finds guest appearances by Clap! Clap! and Digi G'Alessio, also part of this noted new generation of Italians on the global electronic circuit. JoyCut returns to SXSW continuing a whirlwind period of activity for the electronic trio including two US tours, appearances at CMJ and Eurosonic, and a deal with legendary Italian label Sugar Music. Indie-pop five-piece Fabryka hit SXSW after European festival stops at Reeperbahn and Sziget and a forthcoming Summer 2015 set at Primavera Sound. SXSW alumni Tiger! Shit! Tiger! Tiger! bring their melodic lo-fi noise soundtrack back to Austin, reasserting their headline grabbing name after a five year absence in the States. Also on the IT@LY SXSW line-up: Don Pasta, the DJ name of Daniele De Michele, called "one of Italy's most inventive food activists" by the New York Times, who documents the country's age-old food traditions through contemporary music.

As Milan's Universal Expo hosts the world's best in 2015, for the past 27 years SXSW has showcased global excellence. IT@LY SXSW is the anticipated forum in which to explore the country's role in re-shaping the future of the music industry.

IT@LY SXSW TRADE SHOW STAND
Sunday, March 15 – Wednesday, March 18
Stand 1029
Austin Convention Center

"APERITIVO ITALIANO" IT@LY SXSW OFFICIAL DAY PARTY
Wednesday, March 18 // 2pm – 6pm
Numero 28
428 W 2nd Street, Austin

SXSW MUSIC FESTIVAL SHOWCASES

BE FOREST
Wednesday, March 18 // 12:00MidNight - 12:40AM
Valhalla // 710 Red River St

FABRYKA
Friday, March 20 // 11:00PM - 11:40PM
Buffalo Billiards // 201 E 6th St

JoyCut
Friday, March 20 // 8:00PM - 8:40PM
Buffalo Billiards // 201 E 6th St

Saturday, March 21 // 1:00AM - 1:55AM
Parish Underground // 214B E 6th St

LEVANTE
Thursday, March 19 // 12Noon – 12:40pm
International Day Stage Austin Convention Center

Friday, March 20 // 12:00MidNight - 12:40AM
Esther's Follies // 525 E 6th St

POPULOUS
Wednesday, March 18 // 9:00PM - 9:40PM
Swan Dive Patio // 615 Red River St

TIGER! SHIT! TIGER! TIGER!
Saturday, March 21 // 1:00AM - 1:50AM
BD Riley's // 204 E 6th St

IT@LY SXSW SPONSORS
FIMI the Italian Music Industry Federation
Established in 1992 and a member of both Confindustria and the IFPI (International Federation of Phonographic Industries), FIMI represents Italy's most important music producers and distributors, some 2500 labels in total.

ITA the Italian Trade Agency
The Italian government organization that promotes the internationalisation of Italian companies, in concordance with the strategies of Italy's Ministry for Economic Development. The ITA Los Angeles Office has a program of activities to promote the Italian Audiovisual Industry in the US via a dedicated project that has been operating for more than a decade.

Puglia Sounds MEDIMEX
Puglia Sounds, set up in 2010 and funded by the ERDF, is the first public project in Italy targeted to developing an entire region's music sector. The SXSW appearances of Populous, Fabryka and Don Pasta Food Sound System, all Puglia-based acts, are supported by Puglia Sounds.

Puglia Sounds also promotes MEDIMEX, Italy's only international Festival and Music Conference. In just four editions Medimex has established itself as an economic and cultural reference point for both Italian and international professionals across the music businesses, attracting leading names in artists, festivals, industry networks, and the media. Medimex 2015 will take place October 1st through 4th in Bari, Puglia, Italy.