Arctic Monkeys, The Duke Spirit, Lady Sovereign and the Go! Team are among the new UK acts confirmed for next year's South By Southwest music festival.

The event, which is held in Austin, Texas between 15-19 March 2006, has become one of the most significant in the musical calendar. Acts from the US, UK and around the world use it as a way of show casing themselves to the watching music industry, with label spotters and the press scouting for the next big thing.

More established names such as Magic Numbers, Cat Power, Belle and Sebastian, Elbow, Echo & The Bunnymen and Calexico are all bound for Texas as well to showcase new material.

Others that are confirmed to be taking part include Secret Machines, Robert Pollard, Neko Case, Giant Sand, Nickel Creek and Dashboard Confessional.

As well as the music is a series of talks, speeches and seminars, with Neil Young being interviewed by film director Jonathan Demme as the headline grabber, with further speeches from country star Kris Kristofferson, seventies singer Judy Collins and Billy Bragg.

Demme has worked on a musical portrait of the star called 'Neil Young - Heart Of Gold' which centres on his 2005 Nashville performances. This film will also be premiered at the festival.