This year, for the first time, the Elevate Festival will award people, initiatives and projects that have taken a stand for society in a positive, sustainable and innovative way. Nominations from the public were accepted from 1 June to 27 July. Numerous projects were submitted and went through a process of selection.

Three awards will be presented: the Elevate Award Steiermark, the International Elevate Award and the Elevate Artivism Award. For each of the three categories five finalists have been nominated. While the winners of the Elevate Award Steiermark and the Elevate Artivism Award will be chosen by the audience, the recipient of the International Elevate Award will be determined by an international jury made ​​up of 85 former guests-speakers of the festival.

In the course of the Awards Show, the winners will be announced and ceremoniously presented with their awards. An exciting and entertaining show will be presented to an audience of all ages, and is supposed to encourage and inspire. Artivism Award nominees, the best-selling author and "pragmatic optimist" Mark Stevenson, and prominent laudators will all contribute to the show. Entry is free.