Power to the People and the Beatz

Creative Response/Ability

“Creative response is not an oppositional force. It is a proactive, forward-thinking movement. Ultimately, creative response inspires us to aspire to become active participants in our society and the world around us.” Antonino D'Ambrosio, author and film-director.

The Elevate Festival was founded by a group of people emerging from the electronic music scene of Graz, Austria. Consciousness about current affairs in the wake of 9/11 and local political activism in and around this group led to a sense of "having to do something". A concept of combining political debates and discussions with music and visual art – all in one evening and one venue – was born. It was primarily created out of the necessity to articulate a response to local political developments – a creative response by a scene, which is otherwise believed to be rather apolitical and hedonistic. Or is it?

This is the 10th Elevate Festival and it is time to reflect on the many and diverse forms of creative response from artists and activists alike. Reflections on strategies that have emerged since the Punk movement shook the world upside-down in the 70s and Hip-Hop gave a voice to several generations of marginalized youth. Is there more creative response today than in the 70s or 80s? Has it changed alongside the fundamental revolution of new media technologies?