The Elevate Festival is an annual festival that takes place around the Schloßberg in Graz, Austria. The aim of the festival is to create a better understanding of the most important issues of our time and to discuss groundbreaking alternatives, innovative projects, and various initiatives in the realm of civil society, social movements and dedicated activism. Elevate combines contemporary music, art and political discourse. The organizational body is a Nonprofit organization. All the discourse and film programme of the festival is free of charge. The performing artists at Elevate usually present an eclectic array of styles, beyond conventions and the mainstream.
History
Starting point for the idea to combine music and political discourse was the Exit-Space event on local cultural policy making in Graz in 2003. In 2005 the concept was expanded into an international festival around the Schloßberg in Graz. The founders and organizers of the festival - Berhard Steirer, Daniel Erlacher and Roland Oreski - had the idea for the festival's name during a ride in the elevator up to the top of the Schloßberg.
By year
2005
For the first time the Elevate Festival took place in 2005. In this year everything had to do with "Independent People/Independent Movements". In 2005 Jimmy Wales was an invited speaker at the Festival. 2006
„Elevate the Apocalypse?“: Christian Payne, Jacob Appelbaum, Polly Higgins and others discussed whether we need major catasthophes in order to tackle the challenges of our time. 2013
„Elevate Open Everything?“ - guests like Jacob Appelbaum, Birgitta Jónsdóttir, Anne Roth discussed radical openness in technology, innovation, activism, and politics. 2014
„Elevate Creative Response!“ - the 11th edition of the festival explored how creative thinking provides avenues to tackle current challgenges. 2016 As a result of a European festival cooperation, the theme in 2016 was „We Are Europe“ and focused on change processes in Europe. Among the guests were journalist and WikiLeaks activist Sarah Harrison, the philosopher Srećko Horvat, and the French director Hind Meddeb. 2017
The topic the 2017 edition was "Big data, quantification & algorithms - Who will be the decision-makers of the 21st century?". 2018
The role of "Risk/Courage" in the context of societal change will be highlighted during the 2018 festival. With a focus on whistleblowing the controversial WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be among the speakers. 2019
Between 2012 and 2015 the Elevate Awards were granted to people, organizations, and initiatives which are actively working for social, ecological and/or economical justice. There were three categories: The International Elevate Award, the Elevate Award Steiermark for regional projects in Austria and the Elevate Artivism Award for the threshold between arts and activism. Elevate Awards 2012 Elevate Award Steiermark: Hofkollektiv Wieserhoisl International Elevate Award: Réseau des femmes pour le développement durable en Afrique Elevate Artivism Award: Susanne Prosegga Elevate Awards 2013 Elevate Award Steiermark: Open BioLab Graz International Elevate Award: Refugee Protest Camp Vienna Elevate Artivism Award: HOAM:ART Elevate Awards 2014 Elevate Award Steiermark: KAMA Graz International Elevate Award: Cryptocat Elevate Artivism Award: Partycipation Elevate Awards 2015 Elevate Award Steiermark: Allerleihladen International Elevate Award: White Helmets Elevate Artivism Award: Manu Luksch
