A group of residents from the Pervasive Media Studio are heading over to Austin, Texas this week to attend this year’s SXSW Interactive festival. The Festival celebrates the creativity and passion behind the coolest new media technologies. In addition to panel sessions that cover everything from web design to bootstrapping to social networks, attendees can make new business connections at the three-day Trade Show & Exhibition.

Funded by Arts Council England and managed by Studio Directer Clare Reddington, The Umbrella Group features 12 of the UK’s most brilliant digital artists and producers, including studio residents Duncan Speakman and Simon Evans. Whilst out at the Festival The Umbrella Group, who are easily spotted as they carry umbrellas, will be running The Hat Game designed by  Simon Games. Featuring a gps tracked bowler hat, festival attendees will be able to make contact with The Umbrella Group, track the hat online and claim the hat, wearing it for as long as they can until it is claimed by someone else. Find out more at The Umbrella Group website.

The South West delegation, which includes Mobile Pie and Simon Johnson, is funded by South West Screen and South West Regional Development Agency with additional support from UKTI. They will  be joined by Hazel Grian and representatives from Bristol Media, CX Partners, OmniTI, Team Rubber and Watershed.

Keep up to date with their blogs at: http://www.ished.net/projects/sxsw or by searching twitter for #uksxsw.