New highlights in the music and discourse programme

International icons meet new talents, and local scenes engage with global discourses – a combination that gives the Graz festival its distinctive dynamic. The day-by-day line-up is now online, and tickets for all categories are already available.
 

The music programme of Elevate 2026, as every year, weaves together a multitude of aesthetic currents into a musical melting pot: from progressive club sounds to avant-pop and melancholic R&B, all the way to immersive performances and ecstatic improvisation. Between solo acts, band projects, and DJ sets, a panorama of current musical developments unfolds.

But first things first: this year, there is once again a special guest in the music programme: Marc Almond. With Marc Almond, who made music history as the frontman of the 1980s cult band Soft Cell, Elevate welcomes one of the most influential figures of British synth-pop. The blend of minimalist and orchestral synth-pop, strong emotional hooks, dark romanticism, and urban subculture made Soft Cell unmistakable.

Almond will perform selected Soft Cell songs such as “Tainted Love” as well as his own works – a cross-generational highlight of the festival finale.
 

Dream-pop artist Maria Somerville, known for her dreamy soundscapes and evocative vocals, will join for the closing concert on the festival Sunday. The opening brings Steve Reich's “Music for 18 Musicians” to the Helmut List Hall, performed by the PPCM Ensemble under the artistic direction of Klangforum Wien and in cooperation with the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz. New experimental works come, among others, from DÄ LIVER (Maja Osojnik and Stina Fors) and Benedikt Alphart.

At night, the club floors open with progressive sounds from Modeselektor, gyrofield, Josey Rebelle, Stenny, Mitra, Spekki Webu & Woody92, Pinch, Darwin, DJ Spinn, Ojoo, and many more.
 

Confirmed artists so far:

Aki Traar (AT) | Amnesia Scanner (FI) | Anika (DE/UK) | Anna Z (DE) | Benedikt Alphart (AT) | Cabaret Voltaire (UK) | Carrier (AT) | DÄ LIVER – Maja Osojnik (SI) & Stina Fors (SE) | Dame Area (ES) | Darwin (CA/DE) | DJ Spinn (US) | DJ Storm (UK) | Eli Preiss (AT) | gyrofield (HK/UK) | Josey Rebelle (UK) | Kittin (FR) | KUNTARI (ID) | Marc Almond (UK) | Maria Somerville (IE) | Mitra (AT) | Modeselektor (DE) | OJOO (MA/BE) | Pinch (UK) | PLF (AT) | Polygonia (DE) | PPCM Ensemble (AT) | Spekki Webu (NL) & Woody92 (NL) | Stenny (DE) | Toupaz (AT) | Uche Yara (AT/NI) | Zora Jones (ES)
 

The Discourse Programme 2026 is dedicated to the question of how vitality can be preserved or recreated in systems that appear exhausted and under great pressure in many areas – in the economy and climate, in political institutions, in media-driven public spheres, and in interpersonal coexistence.

Through lectures, discussions, workshops, film screenings and performances, Elevate 2026 asks how new forms of social, cultural and political creativity can emerge under conditions of social exhaustion and political regression.

Confirmed speakers so far: 

Birgit Bachler (AT) | Christian Schiffer (DE) | Douglas Rushkoff (US) | Elisabeth Kury (AT) | Florian Skrabal (AT) | Gilda Sahebi (DE) | Ilona Otto (AT) | Katharina Kropshofer (AT) | Mary Maggic (US) | Sebastian Kneidinger (AT) | Şeyda Kurt (DE) | Simon(e) van Saarloos (NL) | Sven Biscop (BE) | Wolfgang Palaver (AT)
 

Festival passes and tickets for all categories are available via NTRY and Öticket. Further information can be found in our ticket shop.

Solidarity Tickets
By purchasing a ticket along with a solidarity contribution, you can help people who might not otherwise be able to attend the festival – giving them the opportunity to participate.

This initiative is organised in cooperation with Hunger auf Kunst & Kultur.