Out of 53 nominated projects the international Elevate Awards Jury chose these six finalists in their first online voting session (27th of Juli until 7th of August 2012). In the second voting session (7th of September until 17th of September) the winning project was voted, which then was presented at a press conference in Graz on 17th of October 2012. Marame Ndour of the winning REFDAF project was present at the Awards Show in Graz (28th of October).

The Elevate Artivism Award is be given to an Austrian artist or artist group, who  engages in sociopolitical issues and is actively working for positive and sustainable change. In the spirit of the Elevate Festival (combining contemporary music and political discourse), this award should encourage artists to engage in activism. 

Bands, artists, groups and initiatives (all art forms) can be nominated.

This award is presented in cooperation with Radio FM4. After the call of nominees has ended, the top five contestants were presented by FM4 and voted on in the public voting phase on their website in October 2012.

This Elevate Award has a local focus on the Austrian state of Styria (Steiermark). While sharing the same values and criteria as the International Elevate Award, this award has a clear local/regional focus.

After the call for nominees the winner out of the top five contestants was chosen by the audiences of Kleine Zeitung and ORF Steiermark in October 2012. There was an online voting process, held at the website of Kleine Zeitung.

This award initiative is supported by Franz Voves, the governor of the state of Styria, as well as the culture department of the city of Graz.