Converse Inc. has signed on as presenting sponsor for the Fader Fort, the 4-day, live-music showcase that's part of the 2012 SXSW Music and Media Conference in Austin, TX.

In its 11th year in Austin, “The Fader Fort Presented by Converse” will also, for the first time ever, be an official SXSW showcase: presenting today's most innovative and emerging artists to both invited fans and festival badge-holders. Artists confirmed to perform include Santigold, Zola Jesus, and hip-hop collective Black Hippy featuring Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul. Additional sponsors and confirmed acts will be announced in the days leading up to the festival.

“Our tenth year in Austin was our biggest year yet-bringing in a record number of attendees from across the world to discover dozens of new and emerging artists in one spot,” said Andy Cohn, president and publisher of The FADER, Inc. “In our 11th year in Austin, we couldn't be more excited to share the stage with Converse, a brand completely aligned with our mission of supporting and showcasing emerging artists and culture. To also be working with SXSW this year really ties everything together perfectly, and we're looking forward to another historic year at The FORT.”

“Converse has had a long and rich history of championing artistic creativity and supporting the world of music,” said Geoff Cottrill, Chief Marketing Officer of Converse. “We could not be more excited to partner with The FADER and SXSW to create a truly unique experience for music fans at one of the biggest music festivals of the year.”

To celebrate the stellar lineup, performances at The FADER FORT Presented by Converse will be viewable to audiences worldwide via a live-stream that will continue for the entire four-day festival. Fuse, the national music television network of The Madison Square Garden Company, will be on-location to capture every moment in Austin, TX from 1-9pm each day, live streaming everything at www.fuse.tv/thefaderfort. Music fans will also be able to catch exclusive interviews with their favorite artists taking place at The FADER FORT Presented by Converse both on Fuse's linear network and at www.fuse.tv/thefaderfort.

“The FADER has always created a cool environment where our attendees can see great artists,” said Darin Klein, SXSW Director of Special Projects. “We're thrilled to be partnering with them on The FORT at SXSW 2012.”

Joining The FADER FORT Presented by Converse activities for the first time, Nokia will be showcasing DJs and Music with three nights of teaser performances during SXSW Interactive at the Nokia Lab, along with a four-night exclusive Nokia VIP Lounge inside The FADER FORT during the Music portion of the festival. Housed in a first-of-its kind structure for SXSW, the 3-domed Nokia Lab located at 2nd and Brazos will give attendees a sneak peek into Nokia as it relocates its R&D lab from snowy northern Finland to warm central Texas. Attendees will also get to check out the new Nokia Lumia portfolio of Windows Phone devices, including the much-anticipated Lumia 900 from AT&T and the recently launched Lumia 710 and 800 devices.

As the ultimate go-to location in Austin for fans to discover new music, “The FADER FORT Presented by Converse” will provide a one-of-a-kind environment for music fans to take part in during the four-day festival. While at “The FADER FORT Presented by Converse”, attendees will experience:

  • Bushmills Irish Whiskey will be served. Guests at “The FADER FORT Presented by Converse” are all 21+ and encouraged to please drink responsibly.
  • vitaminwater & smartwater serving cold beverages.
  • Roberta's from Bushwick Brooklyn, will be serving up its famous wood-fired pizza made to order, using local Texas ingredients.
  • Stumptown Coffee Roasters premium coffee blends crafted with the finest organic ingredients from around the world.
  • Beats by Dr. Dre, the brainchild of legendary artist/producer Dr. Dre and Chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records Jimmy Iovine will host an interactive lounge with a one of a kind sound experience featuring their new Mixer headphone for all to enjoy.
  • SiriusXM is returning for the second year to The FADER FORT and will broadcast live all four days on SiriusXMU, North America's indie rock channel, on SiriusXM channel 35. For more information, visit www.siriusxm.com/siriusxmu.
  • The Southwest Airlines VIP Lounge, brought to attendees courtesy of Southwest Airlines, the official airline sponsor of The FADER FORT.

For over a decade, The Fader Fort has established itself as a primary stomping ground for many then-unknowns such as M.I.A., Florence and the Machine, Odd Future, Feist, Cold War Kids, Kid Cudi, and The Black Keys. While the focus has always been emerging artists, The FADER FORT has also showcased a laundry list of artists that have performed including P. Diddy, Kanye West, Lou Reed, My Morning Jacket, Justin Vernon, Amy Winehouse, Moby, Nas, Damian Marley, N.E.R.D, among others.

For more information and to be the first to hear further news, check out www.thefader.com and follow us on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/TheFader.