Social Media Week (SMW) Sydney organisers, Rinsed and Evolve Social, today announced The Beresford Hotel and The University of Sydney as the event’s official venue partners.

These cultural destinations will host SMW Sydney’s vibrant program of keynotes, panels and exclusive master classes from September 22 – 26, alongside local community run events and eleven other official SMW events around the world.

The Beresford Hotel, part of the Merivale Group, will act as the headquarters for SMW Sydney and host all free public events and experiences for the duration of Social Media Week. The venue is located in the heart of Surry Hills, close to many of Sydney’s most social businesses and communities.

Andrew El-Bayeh, Merivale’s Business Development Manager, said: “We are thrilled that The Beresford Hotel is part of Social Media Week. Sydney has one of the most vivid and advanced social media cultures in the world. We are glad to support and celebrate the progress of the local industry.”

The University of Sydney will serve as the hub for SMW Sydney’s exclusive master class programs where some of the leading minds in social media will present. The sessions will provide an exciting opportunity to connect, share ideas, and provoke discussion to provide an insight into social media’s impact on business, society and culture.

The University of Sydney’s Manager of Student Marketing and Communications, David Als, says “Social media has quickly become an important part of society, and a fascinating field of study across many disciplines. Our staff and students are looking forward to being part of the important conversations and new ways of thinking that Social Media Week will ignite.”

In addition to the official SMW Sydney venue partners announced today, people and organizations can also apply online to hold their own events as part of the week.

Commenting on the announcement, Rinsed Founder and Creative Director, Simon Micarone said “We’re very humbled to have such innovative and respected venue partners joining us for the inaugural Social Media Week Sydney event. The involvement of The Beresford Hotel and The University of Sydney speaks to the quality of the event program that attendees can expect at SMW Sydney this September, and we’d like to encourage the public to get involved too.”

“Our team has been working tirelessly for months to ensure that SMW Sydney has the best talent and sessions to engage and stimulate discussion amongst brands, agencies, businesses, educators, students and social media enthusiasts alike. September is just beyond the horizon now and we are excited to share more details in the near future.” concluded Micarone.

Tickets are due to go on sale this August, with the event lineup and pricing details to be announced closer to that date. Ahead of this, the SMW team has created Posse streets of their favourite places around both of the venues announced today. For more information on Social Media Week Sydney, visit www.socialmediaweek.org/sydney/ or contact Sydney@socialmediaweek.org.