As well as supporting local artists and promoting the export of Luxembourg culture, Kultur | lx has also developed programmes that help the professional development of managers, especially in the music business. Having professional managers is one way to help artists focus on their creative process and develop their talent without having to worry about administrative tasks or promotion and marketing.

As well as supporting its winners financially, the arts council’s Artist Management Programme is designed to allow them to deepen their professional network, skills and know-how and also includes a mentoring programme with international professionals.

This year the grants, worth €10,000 per year for a period of two years as well as a specified budget for attending professional events, were awarded to Stephanie Baustert and Elvis Duarte. The winners were selected by a jury made up of Luka Heindrichs (De Gudde Wëllen), Florence Martin (United Instruments of Lucilin), Marc Nickts (SACEM Luxembourg) and John Rech (opderschmelz).

Baustert, an independent music manager offering a wide range of services to musicians of all genres, says the award will help her further develop her skills, network and company, “and to bring my artists career to the next level.” She currently works with the local drummer Michel Meis and guitarist Gilles Grethen as well as the Switzerland-based pianist Max Petersen. But she also assists musicians of all genres with everything from marketing and promotion to project development.

The jury praised Duarte's application for displaying precise, clear objectives that take into account the realities of the international music industry. “Mr. Duarte highlighted the solid entourage he has at his disposal at the national level, which will support him in the development of his management activity,” they said.

Duarte is one of the two co-founders of Beast Records, and he has managed local hip-hop artists as well as the likes of Chalid, Edsun and Nosi who have garnered some international attention. He has now announced the start of a collaboration between Beast Records and Ada Music, part of the Warner Music BeNeLux group.