When Lothar Schacke founded the KünstlerSekretariat am Gasteig together with Elisabeth Ehlers in 1984, they were united by the conviction that successful artist management is based on trust, personal connection and the highest standards of professionalism. This ethos remains the foundation of the agency to this day.

Over more than four decades, Lothar Schacke has had a decisive influence on the KünstlerSekretariat am Gasteig and contributed to its international reputation. His exceptional intuition for artists’ personalities, his in-depth knowledge of the international music world and his ability to bring people together made him a valued point of contact for artists, organisers, orchestras and festivals worldwide.

For Lothar Schacke, artist management was never merely ‘business’. The focus of his work was always on the artists themselves – their personalities, their development and the building of trusting, often decades-long collaborations. Reliability, integrity and mutual respect characterised his approach.

His own path into the world of classical music was not a straightforward one. His passion for music eventually led him from architecture into artist management – an unusual career path that has had a lasting influence on his work as an artist agent.

For health reasons, Lothar Schacke retired from active professional life in autumn 2025. At the end of the 2025/26 season, he will step down from his executive role. As Honorary Director, he remains closely associated with the KünstlerSekretariat at the Gasteig. Although he no longer personally represents artists, he continues to contribute his many years of experience and his perspective on selected matters. The values and ethos with which he built up the KünstlerSekretariat, together with Elisabeth Ehlers and later with Verena Vetter, will continue to set the standard for the agency’s work in the future.