The jurys

Anja Lauper (born in 1980 in Bern, Switzerland) has been active in various roles within the Swiss cultural scene since 2008, including several years as a concert organizer at the Kleintheater Kulturm in Solothurn, as a coordinator for artists, guests, and media at various events (e.g., BlueBalls Lucerne, Jazzwerkstatt Bern…), for 12 years as an agent in the cabaret sector (kunstprojekte.ch), and since 2019 for TOURBOmusic. As a cultural manager with a Master of Arts (MAS) degree, she now has many years of practical experience in booking performing artists and in production management within the cabaret sector. She is currently organizing events again on behalf of Kultur Stadt Dietikon (CH). In addition, she guides artists through their development processes and supports them in finding and pursuing their own path in the performing arts world (e.g., Mentoring Double, Migros Kulturprozent).

Andrea Heister, managing owner of the agency magenta ARTISTS, discovered her passion for cultural work at the Haus der Springmaus cabaret theater in Bonn. There, in the mid-1990s, after completing her degree in musicology, she began working in public relations and became the theater’s artistic director in 2004 (a position she held until mid-2021).  In the midst of the pandemic, when live cultural events had virtually come to a standstill, she launched her own business as an artist manager and cultural consultant. Andrea possesses extensive expertise in the fields of cabaret/comedy, music, and a cappella, as well as in cultural production and event organization. She brings not only a vast network but also a deep understanding of high-quality entertainment in all its facets.

Simon Alter, currently a freelance consultant, was the managing director of the Berlin-based agency Handshake Booking. After working as a freelance sound engineer, data analyst at Universal Music, and music manager, he founded the agency Musszo Booking in 2015, which merged with Handshake Booking in 2024. With numerous national and international acts on their rosters, both agencies were among the most established independent agencies for jazz and global pop in Germany. In addition, Simon Alter works as a freelance lecturer (including at the Popakademie Mannheim), serves as a speaker on various panels discussing booking topics, took over as production manager for Jazzwoche Berlin in 2021, and curated the Kunstflecken Festival in Neumünster in 2022 and 2023 as an external festival director.

Lara Begic-Cabello has been a member of the management team at Varieté et cetera since 2016. After studying fashion design in Berlin and working for top labels such as Guido Maria Kretschmer, she was drawn back to Bochum. As the daughter of founders Silvia and Ronny Cabello, she grew up in the theater. Starting at the age of two, she traveled throughout Germany with the troupe and used to perform on stage herself. When the Varieté settled in Bochum, Lara grew up surrounded by performers and costumes. Today, she leads the company and its staff with great passion. She is responsible for casting the performers, develops visionary show concepts, and designs and produces the costumes. Together with her husband, Edis Begic-Cabello, she also manages the in-house restaurant, which features a sustainable concept and incorporates the latest food trends.

Carsten Dapper is from Celle in Lower Saxony. But that doesn’t matter. Through his talent agency, dapper.entertainment GmbH & Co. KG, he represents top-tier cabaret artists throughout the German-speaking world, and through dapper.productions GmbH, he also serves as a tour promoter for show productions. In addition, Carsten Dapper works as “Head of Development & Sponsorship” for the renowned “Kleine Fest im Großen Garten” festival in Hanover. He also demonstrates his passion for the performing arts through his volunteer work: As artistic director, he shapes the “Kultur querbeet” series at the Schlosstheater Celle. He brings this versatile, 360-degree perspective—drawn from outreach, production, and programming—to the jury for the performing arts at the 2027 International Culture Fair in Freiburg.

Udo Leitner studied International Cultural Management at the Universities of Linz and Salzburg (ICCM/SMBS). After gaining initial professional experience in theater, he served as the organizational and commercial director of the klagenfurter ensemble from 1995 to 2000. He then worked for the Hoanzl agency for 23 years, where he was responsible for productions, guest performances, and tours in the fields of cabaret, satire, and theater. In 2024, he founded the Agentur für gute Unterhaltung in Vienna. His work focuses on artist management, event organization, and conceptual consulting in the artistic and organizational spheres. In this role, Udo Leitner collaborates with artists, event organizers, and cultural institutions in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.